


A different kind of Final Quest

by KenjiroS



Series: A Different Kind of Final Quest [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Body Horror, Horror, M/M, NaNoWriMo, OT4, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 10:20:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 48,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16490735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KenjiroS/pseuds/KenjiroS
Summary: - Just one question. Only one. Why…did you kidnap a random person ?- We didn’t kidnap him.- Did he volunteer, then ? Or is he hitching a ride ?- Keiji, it’s not like that, come on…- Yeah, we didn’t do anything illegal. We saved his life !- And instead of helping him and leaving him to his life, you took him here, because…?





	1. Day 1 : Non-existent books

**Author's Note:**

> For the first time trying out seriously for NaNoWriMo. This is going to be a mess, just a warning. I can only hope it will be a beautiful mess.

Having a 24 h bookstore at a college campus made sense in theory, but on nights like this, Tooru wondered if it was worth it. Ten at night was not so late and there were the occasional confused customers but mostly the shop was full of bored students looking for a warm place to escape the late Autumn air that slipped through layers of fabric to bite at the skin like a rabid animal. Tooru sipped from the huge mug of tea he kept just for these occasions and flipped through the magazine on the counter. True, it was right up his alley, but he’d also read it cover to cover three times already and there was only so much he could take.

An hour later, the place was barren. Empty. Desolate. Deserted. Abandoned. Tooru pulled out the heavy thesaurus from the shelf behind him. Vacant. He flipped through a few pages. Forsaken. No, godforsaken. Devoid. Barren… Before he could find more words to describe his terrible fate, because one had to find ways to entertain himself on night shifts, the door opened. He glanced up, relieved for the distraction but also a touch annoyed because he’d been just getting in the mood, and the two customers didn’t make it easier to like them.

Frat boys. The worst breed out there. Yes, he’d been one of them once, but even in his first year he liked to think he had class. This…This was something else. They were attractive, true, but nobody in their right mind was that loudly cheerful close to midnight on a weekday in that weather. It just wasn’t natural. But they were potential customers and if Tooru knew how to be one thing, it was how to charm people. Smiling playfully, he leaned a hip on the counter and waited for the strangers to notice him.

Which they did not. The audacity… Well, their loss. He shrugged, more at himself than at anyone else, and pulled back his magazine. He’d just have to make sure they didn’t pocket anything without paying for it and it would be fine.

 

-…well, you know he’s never wrong. – Even without trying, it was impossible not to catch a word here and there. They were the only people in the shop beside him and they didn’t try to keep it down. Tooru found himself unconsciously listening to the conversation, not that it made much sense to begin with.

\- I am just saying… - The black-haired guy was obviously trying to placate his friend with mixed results.

\- Yeah, but bro, do you want to be the one to go to him and tell him… - The voice faded to a loud theatrical whisper. – that you think he is wrong ? Can you do it ?

\- Now, Kou, no need to go that far. I don’t have a death wish. – Tooru wasn’t sure what the topic was but while they did sound like they were overdramatizing, at least they didn’t seem drunk or high. Probably just bored. – How about we… 

The pause made Tooru lift his head. And realise the other man was much closer than he’d though. A pair of almost-green eyes met his and he froze.

\- Well, hello there. – The grin slipped on the man’s lips like ink, slow and confident. – Can I ask you something about a book we’re looking for ? – He was practically purring and Tooru knew that if he’d been anyone else, he’d be a puddle on the floor. But, he wasn’t.

Keeping the movement just as slow and liquid as the Cheshire cat smirk, Tooru stood up from the unattractive slouch he’d been in, and propped a palm by the magazine on the counter. Looking down at the man who was still leaning forward, he smiled in the same way that had made all the girls in high school swoon. Not that he’d cared that much but one had to use every weapon in their arsenal. 

\- Sure. What do you need ? – The man just smiled wider, showing off perfect white teeth.

\- It is… - He couldn’t finish because his friend almost threw himself on his back, and judging by the wheezing, had almost knocked the breath out of him. – Damn, Kou, are you trying to kill me ?

\- Nah, Keiji wouldn’t like that. I found the place where it should be, though, and it’s not there.

\- Wait, bro, you did ? What do you mean by “it’s not there” ?

\- That. It should be there… - If that wasn’t a dramatic pause, Tooru didn’t know what was. – But it isn’t.

\- Shit. Call Keiji, maybe he gave us the wrong address…? – They were getting more animated with every passing moment and Tooru was a bit confused. They were obviously looking for something specific that wasn’t there ?

\- Um, excuse me…

\- You think I didn’t try that ? He’s sure it’s here. 

\- Hey, can I ask…

\- Yeah, but maybe, just maybe, he should run his calculations again. Just in case.

\- Hey. – This was getting ridiculous. It wasn’t even about them ignoring him anymore, he wanted them to shut up and tell him what was “not there”.

\- Oh, yes, because he makes so many mistakes and is always a moonbeam when we point them out !

\- Hey !

\- What do you suggest, then ? If he says it’s here and it’s not here, what do we do ? ‘Cause I’m running out of ideas…

\- Can. You. Both. Shut. Up. Can you !?! – Two pairs of eyes met his. The brunet blinked, obviously confused, while his friend just stared and, whoa, those had to be contacts. Because nobody had this kind of luminescent yellow eyes. But at least that silenced them. Not his proudest moment, but it had worked. – Thank you. Now, what are you looking for ?

At first he thought they would just stare at him, frozen like statues, but then the shorter guy with the strange hair and even stranger eyes shook his head and pulled out a piece of paper.

\- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, illustrated. Part one. – Well, someone hadn’t done their research. Or, it was the world’s stupidest prank. – Do you happen to have it ?

\- Obviously not. – The guy just blinked in confusion, the movement disturbingly animalistic, and then tilted his head to the side.

\- Will you have it with your next stock ? – It was his friend’s turn again. Okay, this couldn’t be lack of research. It was too specific. It was probably some sort of dumb challenge and they’d get a case of beer or something from their buddies of they made the cashier look like an idiot. Too bad they’d stumbled upon him.

\- Again, - Tooru smiled sweetly. Judging by the tall guy’s narrowed eyes, the smile was way too sugary to be realistic. Good. He’d reached his goal. – obviously not.

\- But why ? Is it out of stock ? Or you can get only a certain amount and you’ve exceeded it ? – It was almost sad, how the man believed everything he said. Whoever had roped him into this had probably lied to make it seem real. His friend was definitely familiar with the joke, though. Probably faking it to see if the newbie would go with it. How unpleasant. Tooru knew his face showed his disgust but there was nothing he could do about it, even if he wanted. Let the man know he’d been found out.

\- No, sir. – He dropped the smile and spoke clearly. – You are asking about the seventh book in a series. They have published only three so far. It won’t happen anytime soon. I am talking years, probably.

He could read the emotions running though the customer like he was an open book. Lack of understanding, confusion. A little bit of hurt, more confusion. A desperate search for a solution. A lack of solution.

\- And whoever told you it’s out obviously lied to you. Not sure why, though. – This…didn’t cause the effect he’d been going for. The man lost the “confused puppy” expression and his glowing eyes hardened. His friend casually slipped an arm around his shoulders though Tooru could see he was actually holding his, and not gently.

\- Whatever misinformation had happened, it was not because I was lied. Thank you for your help.  
And he turned on his heels. His friend stood there for a couple of seconds more, raised eyebrows above light eyes, his face almost amazed, when…

 

He wasn’t sure what happened. It felt like pressure, like a ton air compressed to the size of a soda can dropped on his chest, nailing him to the floor. His ears were ringing, the high-pitched sound digging in his brain and stopping him from thinking straight. Something shook, he heard glass breaking, but his lungs simply wouldn’t work. It was like every muscle was frozen and the only thing still going was his heart. Which beat way too fast and he could feel it in his temples. Something wet dripped down his face and yet he still couldn’t take a breath. 

His eyes were closed, he realised, but panic started seeping in when he tried to pry them open and couldn’t. Nothing. He was completely frozen, his body not in his control, and it felt like his very bones were being crushed. It was weight but there was nothing, he knew there wasn’t, nobody was pressing him down and yet he could feel the mass spreading and forcing his spine to the floor. Oh, he was laying face-down. That just went from bad to nightmarish. And he still had no idea what was that.

Opening his mouth and trying to scream didn’t work, or at least he thought it didn’t, because the ringing in his ears still occupied his brain, but something changed. The terrible weight was still there, but there was a touch on his fingers and someone was talking, and then pulling and then…then everything went dark.

 

\- Just one question. Only one. Why…did you kidnap a random person ? – Tooru’s skull felt stuffed with candy floss, light, empty and sticky, and the words didn’t really make sense, but he still kept listening. It was important, he knew it was, but he just couldn’t remember why. In the absolute darkness behind his eyelids, he could only focus on the voices.

\- We didn’t kidnap him.

\- Did he volunteer, then ? Or is he hitching a ride ? 

\- Keiji, it’s not like that, come on…

\- Yeah, we didn’t do anything illegal. We saved his life !

\- And instead of helping him and leaving him to his life, you took him here, because…?

\- We panicked, okay ? We couldn’t just leave him there ! Who knows when someone else would’ve come and helped him. Or maybe they would mu him and beat him ! Or something worse ! I mean…

\- I know what you mean. – The voice was completely unfamiliar but the exhausted sighs reminded him of his childhood best friend. Though this man spoke quietly and with the sharp confidence of a general. – I just wish you’d warned me. Did you at least find the book ?

\- It wasn’t there. Apparently, it wouldn’t have been there for years. Someone messed up with you.

\- You mean it was a trap.

\- I bet it was that asshole Daishou…!

\- Tetsu… - The tone had changed. Now it was soft, soothing. Tooru could listen to it forever. – You know he likes to antagonize you but he’d never do something so dangerous. 

\- You were misled and he’s the only one…

\- I didn’t say that was not his doing. But the attack ? That was too much. I need to think. And you, both, need to rest. And then you can tell me, again, why did you kidnap a complete stranger.

\- Keiji, I’m telling you…

\- I want an explanation, not excuses.


	2. Day 2 : Strange beds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Hey, Keiji. – He turned from the bowl of salad he’d been glaring at for the last ten minutes. – We might have a problem. – He’d just known it.  
> \- Is it about that man upstairs ?  
> \- Yeah, but it’s more complicated than you think. They killed him. – What ?  
> \- What ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this one is a little less filler, but only a little. Still, I hope you enjoy it !

The next time Tooru woke up, his head felt much clearer. True, he didn’t have any idea where he was or what had happened, or what was the right order of actions that would lead to him opening his eyes, but at least he could think. 

Since looking around was still out of the question, he tried feeling the surface he was laying on. On his back. Huh. His last memory included his chest being pressed to the floor so there must’ve been some development, at least. 

Fabric under him, fabric over him. Soft. Warm. Kind of squishy under his back. All signs pointed to him being in a bed, or at least on a mattress of sorts, and covered with a blanket. Good, good. Now, the difficult part…

After a few minutes of fruitless attempts to move, Tooru finally managed to pry his own eyelids open. Which, surprisingly, led to more questions and less answers than he’d expected. He looked around in the low light, trying to move as little as possible since for some reason his entire body felt stiff and every muscle was tight and unresponsive. Moving around actually hurt.

It was a bedroom. Unfamilliar. He’d had his fair share of waking up in strangers’ beds, but it had lost its charm too fast and he’d stopped even trying. So, not that. Also, he usually wasn’t in the kind of scenes that would leave him bedridden. Too hardcore for him. 

The bed was huge and he could see on the floor a pile of cushions in light colours that probably occupied the space around him during the day. Besides that, there were…books. Lots and lots of books, most of them neatly ordered on shelves but there were a few piles on the floor by a desk, on top of a tall dresser and by a table. Also…stuff.

Tooru couldn’t see clearly enough to guess what the things were but they looked like complicated models. There were too many of them spread along the books on the shelves and on top of small tables, some with glass domes on top, some stretching over bonsai trees. And some, he squinted and held his breath to hear better, actually moved, giving off soft mechanical whirrs. The sound was almost hypnotic and the moment he realised he was trying to match his breathing to the clicks of the…something that shared a huge pot with a bonsai that was probably taller than him, Tooru tried to focus on something else. The room was just so cramped but still looked ordered, like a huge collection of precious elements that were displayed in the best way possible while still being simply too many in too little space. 

Suddenly, a sharp noise rose over the clicks, purrs and whistles of the models in the room and it took Tooru’s still muddled brain to recognise the sound of footsteps getting closer. Maybe he’d finally get some answers. 

The door opened with speed implying it had been either kicked or at least shoved hard, but before it managed to slam in the opposite wall, a hand snaked and caught it only a few centimetres away. The person slid inside, pushing it closed softly, and looked at Tooru. Hmm. He was handsome which, if Tooru thought there was even the tiniest possibility they’d slept together would make him feel better, but since it was non-existent, the man’s looks didn’t raise his spirit. Not at all.

The bi-coloured hair was a bit of a shock though he’d spent enough time on campus not to really consider it strange. The eyes, on the other hand…The man obviously had nice yellow contacts although wearing them at home seemed a little excessive. But who was he to judge ? 

It took him a second to notice Tooru was awake and the smile that split his face could rival the July sun at noon. Seriously, he could swear the very air around him sparkled with pure joy. It was weird. Who was that happy at… a subtle glance let him know there were no visible clocks around, but he was sure it was not the appropriate time of the day (night ?) to be that cheerful. Also, nothing had started making sense yet so he thought he was allowed some suspicion. 

\- Hey, you’re awake ! Great to see you open your eyes, we were starting to worry ! – The sudden noise made him flinch since the man’s voice carried better than the soft sounds of the moving models. The man blinked a few times and padded to the bed, pulling a stool from under a glass table along the way. – How are you feeling ? – The last was almost a loud whisper and Tooru appreciated the care. His head didn’t feel ready for excitement.

It took him another few seconds to figure out how his tongue was supposed to work but in the end he managed to put a sentence in order.

\- Hurts. – That was a full sentence, he was sure.

\- Where ? – His face must have shown his desperation because the stranger nodded a little, seemingly to himself. – Head ? – Tooru nodded, trying not to jostle his neck too much. 

– Chest ? – He nodded more vigorously and regretted it about quarter a second later. – Whoa, take it easy. How about you rest a little more and then we can…

\- Where am I ? – It came out as a rasp, definitely not his proudest moment, but it was all he could summon for now. His limbs didn’t feel as heavy anymore but he still didn’t want to try too hard. Just in case. 

\- My bedroom. – Helpful, wasn’t he ?

\- And the reason I am in your bedroom is because…? – His brain was definitely clearer and so were his vocal cords so he decided it was time to get some answers. – I mean, no offence, but if whatever we did last night left me this sore, we are not having a second date. Feel free to lose my number.

The shock on the stranger’s face was almost comical. Those wide pale eyes blinked but no words left the man’s lips. His suspicions were confirmed, then – they had definitely not had any sex. It was kind of comforting. 

\- We didn’t…I…Keiji ! – Tooru realised he’d been so caught up in his own speculations, he hadn’t even noticed someone else had joined them in the room. The other person came closer and the light brought him in full view. And, wow. Tooru knew, objectively, that he was handsome, but this was taking it to the next level.

The sleek, almost androgynous features of the man’s face, paired with pale eyes and dark curls, brought him to a level of beautiful that shouldn’t have been possible without heavy photo editing. Impressive. The other man glanced up at the newcomer like he was calling for help and the brunet cocked a hip and crossed his arms. Someone was looking for an effect. It probably worked on most people, too, but Tooru wasn’t most people.

\- You and Bokuto didn’t have sex. But you already knew that. – “Bokuto” turned back with an almost wounded expression, like he’d been betrayed in the worst way possible. Tooru would feel bad considering the man did look like a kicked puppy, but he still had no idea where he was or who those people were. He was allowed to be a little mean.

\- If you have a better explanation, I am all ears. – The man’s light eyes narrowed just a touch but he didn’t show any other reaction to the bait. Still. It was a small victory.

\- You were hurt, but it was nothing that required a hospital. The house was closer than hospitals anyway, so they brought you here. You just needed to sleep it off. Might be a bit sore but that’s all.

It made almost total sense which led Tooru to the justified belief the man had just made up the entire story. It was a nicely shaped lie but it was most definitely not even remotely true. Too many plotholes and all. But the other option was, well, kidnapping and…” only one. Why…did you kidnap a random person ?”. Oh. The memory surfaced and his tired brain supplied the unhelpful fact that the voices matched and the third person in the hazy recollection of the events from who knew when was the man still standing by the bed. Okay. That was most definitely not good.

He tried for a charming smile and the result was probably not his best but he still hoped it managed to hide his racing brain. Kidnapped. But why ? He didn’t have or know anything remotely useful. Unless they were after his organs. But wouldn’t had they already taken them ? Unless that’s why he was in so much pain…Shit.

The first stranger, the yellow-eyed one, reached towards his face, the concerned expression seeming genuine but he didn’t trust anything. Not yet.

\- Are you okay ? You look like you’re in pain. Keiji, is he developing a fever or something ? – Keiji was apparently the lying brunet who, despite the alarmed pleas, didn’t exactly appear disturbed by whatever they could see on Tooru’s face.

\- He’s probably stiff from lying in bed, Bokuto-san. That’s all. – His face, on the other hand, was saying “That’s not all. And we both know it, don’t we ?”. – How about we leave him to rest ? – And then he addressed Tooru again, even though his eyes never left his. – We’ll be in the dining room. Feel free to join us if you think you’re up to coming down three flights of stairs. If not, I’ll bring you dinner in about half an hour. Would that be okay with you ? – How very formal. Tooru just nodded, trying his best to get them out of the room as fast as possible so he could actually think. The man obviously saw right through him but didn’t comment on it, instead turning gracefully and leaving the room, long strides completely soundless on the plush carpet. That left him with…Bokuto ?

\- I know you might be a bit uncomfortable, but after you feel better and stretch your muscles, you’ll be just as new. Okay ? – Tooru nodded, unsure about this man’s reasons. He seemed honest enough but if he was friends with the other one… - Cool. You just focus on recovering and I’ll bring you some food as soon as possible. You must be starving ! Oh, do you want a book or something ? I know it must be annoying, damn, I go stir crazy after an hour in bed doing nothing, you must be bored out of your mind ! – Did he ever stop to breathe or catch up or something ? – I got…Let me see… - And then he almost bounced off to one of the shelves. Where was all than energy coming from ?

\- How’s your English ? – Tooru looked up. The man’s expectant face would be adorable if the situation wasn’t so confusing.

\- Um…Okay ? I think ? – He was fluent but there was no need for those people to know everything.

\- Cool. Here, so you wouldn’t strain your eyes and brain too hard. That headache must be killing you, don’t want it to get worse. – And he handed Tooru a copy of…The Telescope. Looking a little ruffled but in a way that came from being read a few times and not from being kept in a box for the last, he checked the cover as discreetly as possible, eighty years. Where had the man gotten that ? It didn’t look like it had been scanned and copied, or like a printed online edition. It was just a magazine in English. From 1938.

Carefully pulling one hand from under the warm blanket, Tooru took the magazine with almost reverent care. He was holding an antique, a real relic, and its owner was just handing it over like it was nothing.

\- Thank you.

 

Keiji didn’t like that. Not one bit. Oh, he knew he was only human and as such was prone to mistakes but he’d checked the numbers way too many times for this to be a simple miscalculation. It had definitely been done on purpose but the question was by who ? Usually, their rivals went for petty tricks, annoying but nothing so serious and dangerous to bystanders. This was different. Of course, they had an even more pressing problem currently residing in Koutarou’d bedroom. 

The man had not believed even a word Keiji had said. Not a single one. His brain must’ve been muddled from both the attack and the healing process but he’d still had enough perception to recognise the lie. He was a dangerous one. Keiji had checked, when the two of them had arrived, carrying a stranger, but said stranger didn’t have any connections to any of their rivals. He appeared, for all intents and purposes, a random man caught in crossfire. A smart random man, caught in crossfire. They had to get him back to his place as soon as possible. They didn’t need the extra issues of having him around.

\- Hey, Keiji. – He turned from the bowl of salad he’d been glaring at for the last ten minutes. Tetsurou, in a soft loose shirt, obviously Koutarou’s, and sweatpants, was standing in the open door and his face didn’t bode well. – We might have a problem. – He’d just known it.

\- Is it about that man upstairs ? – Tetsurou rubbed his face and sighed.

\- Yeah, but it’s more complicated than you think. They killed him. – What ?

\- What ?

\- They…whoever did it, and I’m guessing it’s whoever attacked the shop, they made it seem like he died in an armed robbery. I just saw it. There’s a body and everything. – Tetsurou shrugged. – I checked the police reports. The DNA and teeth match, and the body has been recognised by several different people who know him. They are burying it in a few hours. A big ceremony, too. Can’t alter that many memories, not without leaving traces.

Keiji knew his mouth was hanging open but he had no response to that. Someone…someone had gone through so much trouble just for…what ? Why ? To force them to take the man in ? Even if that was it, there was no guarantee they’d do it. It wasn’t like they were known for picking and keeping strays. Personal ? The stranger didn’t seem to know anything about them, why would anyone hate him that much ? Of course, the most pressing issue was what to do with him. They could just drop him off in front of his flat, not anymore, not if everyone thought he was dead and had even seen the body. Keiji rubbed his eyes. Why him ?

Strong fingers dug in the tense muscles of his shoulders and after and long moment he allowed himself to relax. 

\- Keiji, babe, come on. Sit down, Tetsu can finish dinner. Right ? – He didn’t even open his eyes but the hum that reached his ears was enough of an answer. – You worry too much. We’ll figure it out, we always do. Right ? – He had to admit, Koutarou had him there. True, the outcome wasn’t always perfect and the methods might happen to be not-so-legal, but they always got out of whatever ditch they found themselves into. Koutarou pressed even more and Keiji swore his spine popped.– There you go. Just relax. Everything will be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was it good ? Was it ? Kudos, comments and criticisms give me life. NaNoWriMo is still going strong so I am hopeful. Thank you for reading and feel free to come and chat about your rare and not-so-rare pairs on kenjiro-s.tumblr.com


	3. Day 2.2 : Bonsai trees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- If any of us wanted you hurt or dead, you wouldn’t have even woken up.  
> \- And if you just wanted to do your civil duty, I would’ve woken up in hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still going, still strong. Ch.3, Oikawa finally leaves the bed. If that's not progress, I don't know what is.

Tetsurou knew what people thought when they met him for the first time. Flighty. Flirty. Shifty. Not taking anything seriously. Fickle. And he would be the first to admit he was prone to taking things easy. But only when it was acceptable. In moment like this, he glanced at the deep leather couch Keiji was currently sleeping, sunk so deep he could barely see the pile of blankets on top of him, in moments like this he was more than focused.

\- Hey. – Strong arms wrapped around his waist from behind and he sighed, leaning back. Kotarou might be loud and tend to speak before thinking but he was as dependable as the night was long. And sometimes, sometimes Tetsurou just needed the safety of being enveloped in a tight, strong hug. It made things seem achievable. – What’s bouncing in your head ? – Tetsurou snorted. Leave it to Koutarou to find a way to make him laugh.

\- Nothing serious. Just…stuff, you know. – The man behind him just hummed a little. Pulling his arms back, Koutarou pushed him not-so-gently until he got the hint and turned. And then he was enveloped in another tight hug. Standing like this, he was just the right height and Tetsurou buried his face in the other man’s shoulder.

\- Too much stuff and you know what happens, right ? You’ve seen my room.

\- What ? No matter what happens, there’s always space for a hot man ? – He could feel Koutarou shake with laughter. Much better. He didn’t like it when he was gloomy.

\- That’s what I like about you, bro. Always looking on the bright side. – Tetsurou pulled back a little. 

\- Of course. It’s me, after all. – He tried to smile but Koutarou just tilted his head to the side.

\- It’s just us here, Tetsu. And this ? It’s not something we haven’t seen before. True, we’ve never actually kidnapped anyone before, but ! He seems cool, so I’m sure we’ll be fine. And Keiji will skulk around for a while but after that his calculations will be even more unpent…epenrt…- He stopped for a second, looking like was counting something in his head. – Impenetrable. 

\- I know. I just feel we messed up this time. And if it was really Daishou, then it was…

-…most definitely not your fault. – Tetsurou opened his mouth to argue but Koutarou just pressed their foreheads together, staring intently in his eyes like he was trying to project his thoughts. Which he could totally do, but this time, apparently, he was going for the simple dramatic effect. – It’s not him and even if it was ? You’re not the only person he calls his “enemy”. – That got him to laugh a little. – Do you know where the tray is ? – The what now ? – The tray we had at some point, you know ? Um, wooden, with the red swirls and…

\- Why do you need it ? I mean, I’m all about sliding down the stairs again but I don’t think Keiji would appreciate it. We could always just silence the place…

\- Nah, I want to get some food to the guy we sort of locked upstairs. He slept for far too long, he’s probably starving. 

\- Want me to get it to him ? – Koutarou blinked at him. – I want to see how your new Chinese Bird Plum is doing and if the cradle isn’t disturbing it. – The raised eyebrows he got as a response told him his plan had been too transparent from the beginning, but Koutarou let it slide.

\- Sure. I’ll go make tea and then poke Keiji a little. His neck looks like it will be killing him in a few hours otherwise.

Tetsurou walked carefully to the couch, looking down. Ouch. Laying on his side, with the cushions thrown on the floor, Keiji’s neck was in the worst possible position. Still, if Koutatou was willing to risk a finger or three to wake him, who was he to interfere ?

Pulling several drawers open, Tetsurou finally found a random tray just laying there. Seriously, why did they have so many ? True, he used a lot, and Koutarou’s projects couldn’t be moved around in any other way, but those small elegant artfully decorated pieces ? Where were they coming from ? Was Keiji a secret tray hoarder or something ? Though considering some of the things said man collected, dusty old trays would be an improvement. Not that he was one to judge.

Now, the guy hadn’t eaten in some time and hadn’t been moving at all, so…light food. A small bowl of rice, some light soup. Water and, he dug through the fridge, juice. Nice. And a cup of pomegranate seeds. Because the worst thing was getting sticky from overly sweet dessert, which led to drinking too much water, which led to more bathroom trips. And Tetsurou wasn’t sure if the stranger was up to it yet.

 

Three long flights of stairs and Tetsurou found himself in front of the room Koutarou’s personal office, or at least the closest he had to one. It was mostly, in his opinion, a storage or a gallery that also happened to house a bed. Still. He knocked, manners having been poured in his head from birth, and after a cautious “Come in” pushed the heavy door open. He knew they had to make it difficult to open from the inside, just in case, but their guest probably wouldn’t appreciate that information.

Said guest (seriously, what was the man’s name ?) was sitting in the bed, the spare shirt he’d taken from his own closet after the one the guy had come in had been burnt in whatever that attack had been looking a bit too big fitting on his shoulders, and flipping through a thick magazine. Tetsurou recognised the cover as one of Koutarou’s favourites, an old thing Tetsurou himself had bought for him for a birthday long time ago. Now if that wasn’t an interesting twist of fate.

\- Hey, stranger. – Chocolate eyes met his and the magazine fell closed slowly. The man raised his chin a little and somehow managed to look down on him, while still being way below the center of his field of vision. He and Keiji would work together like a rabid salamander in a river of kerosene. And the skeleton of a manor by the hill across from his window showed what happened when those two mixed. Total annihilation. And while he wasn’t a sadist by nature, he had low enough of morals to want to see it. Just a little. As long as the guy wasn’t a prick about it. 

Tetsurou gave himself a few seconds to evaluate the face currently glaring at him. The man was handsome, no two opinions. Though currently a little hollow-cheeked and pale, his features were sculptured and Tetsurou remembered that with the casual confidence and styled hair, that first time he’d seen the guy in the shop, the effect had been complete. Now…he was a bit ruffled, still in pain and probably feeling kind of gross, but still. That same casual confidence was showing as annoyance, though it did look a bit forced. On the other hand, if he’d woken up in an unfamiliar bed, not able to move and with strangers telling him not to even try, he’d be alarmed, too.

\- Food ? – The other man carefully uncrossed his arms and tried to get on his knees. – Whoa, now. Careful. You might get dizzy. Don’t want you to crack your face open on the table. – The man just sent him a glare and moved around until he ended up sitting on the bed.

\- Care to explain why am I almost naked ? – The tone was sweet as sugar and completely fake. Obviously on purpose, too. 

\- Your shirt got ruined. – Tetsurou shrugged, placing the tinkling tray on the emptiest side table he could find, though it was still a tight squeeze.

\- Care to explain how ? – He opened his mouth, but the stranger just raised a finger and Tetsurou’s mouth clicked closed. – I wasn’t finished. Because, try to see things from my perspective. – The sugary voice was completely discarded and the man’s warm dark eyes were cold as steel in daylight in the middle of November. – I woke up in a strange place with strange people. And nobody is offering any explanations. Can you see why I feel a bit…disturbed ? Just a little ? Hm ? – The smile was back, though considering how tight the man’s lips were, it was more of a grimace. – I asked you a question. 

And through the whole speech, he’d kept a cold, even tone, low voice and careful enunciation. It ended on a hiss. Tetsurou really, really didn’t want to be the one to do this, especially since they hadn’t made a decision yet about what they were going to do about the stranger. On the other hand, he was more than justified in his opinions. What to do, what to do…

\- I’ll offer you a deal. You eat and if you feel well enough to shower and come downstairs, we’ll explain everything. How does that sound ?

\- Like a really bad deal, to be honest. But, since I guess it’s my only option… – Ouch. Well, it wasn’t like he’d expected the man to throw himself at his feet in gratitude but the cold dismissal still stung.

\- Here. I’ll leave you to it. Don’t make yourself sick – you’ve been asleep for a few days, your body might not like the food in the beginning. – And with that, he turned to leave. 

\- Wait ! – He looked back. The man looked annoyed though it seemed directed more to himself than to Tetsurou. – Can’t you at least tell me what happened ? I can’t… - He took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds and then let it out Slowly. – I can’t remember a thing. Only…

\- Only the pressure ? – For the first time, he was sure the expression was genuine. A soft, open-mouthed shock and innocent confusion. He did look better when he wasn’t dripping venom though the face was a bit too vulnerable for his taste. It made him look fragile. Usually, when people around him wore something like this, Tetsurou solved the immediate problem by hugging them tightly. But this was a stranger who had no reason to trust him, so physical contact was out of the question.

There was something else he could do, though. Walking back to the bed, he pulled the stool Koutarou kept under one of the table and sat directly across the man.

\- Hey. It’s okay, there will be no permanent damage and you’ll bounce back in no time. Keiji knows what he’s doing and whoever… - He closed his eyes for a second. – whoever did this wasn’t trying to do much damage.

\- Then what ? Why would anyone do something like this ? There was nothing valuable there ! – Okay, things were getting hysterical. He had to take control over the situation and do it fast. The face in front of him was losing whatever little colour it had and his lips were turning blue. – I don’t have enemies or anything who would attack like that ! Why… - Catching one flailing hand, Tetsurou tried not to frown from how cold and clammy the man’s skin was.

\- Shh. Easy, now. – Rubbing his fingers to warm them up, even if it wouldn’t do much considering his own body temperature, was the only thing he could think of. – Come on. Inhale… - He waited for the man to comply and then reached, taking his other hand, too. Slim hands, long fingers and, strangely, calloused palms. – Good, good. Now, exhale. With me.

Moving slowly, since he was sure a speck of dust would startle the man in the state he was currently in, Tetsurou repeated the action several times, carefully keeping his face within the stranger’s view, until his eyes were no longer glazed over.

\- Good. Keep breathing. Just keep breathing. – The man’s head hung low, dark hair obstructing Tetsurou’s view of his face, but he seemed to be calming down. – That’s it. Are you cold ?

The man made a sound almost like a snort and Tetsurou felt a bit better.

\- Are you ? – So, he’d noticed. 

\- Terrible circulation. Had it since I was a kid. Now, do you feel like eating ? – He got a soft sigh.

\- I guess. I am still calling the police the moment I see a phone, though. Just letting you know.

\- Noted. Soup ?

 

Koutarou had just finished making his tea and was bandaging his bleeding finger when he felt the unmistakable sensation of being observed. Raising his eyes, he met an icy, gunmetal blue stare and tried not to smile. Keiji was always a sight for sore eyes, whether in elegant formal attire or just as elegant casual sweater and jeans, but when he was all warm and sleepy, with his soft black curls messy and his face – relaxed, he was beautiful. A study of a grey Autumn Saturday, of heavy rain and the occasional thunder, of cold wet air and warm blankets. Tea and silence and loose shirts. He couldn’t explain it out loud, couldn’t even begin to describe it, but all those and more, that was Keiji. 

\- How long was I out ? – Ah, and the other reason he liked him sleepy. Both him and Tetsurou, because the man was like a cat in human shape – they both purred when they were tired and content. – And what happened to your finger ?

\- You kicked the pillows off the couch again. Your neck would’ve cramped so I took the matters in my own hands. Literally. You didn’t give up without a fight. And… - He looked at the artistic display of hourglasses on the wall above the fireplace. – you slept for an hour and a half. 

\- ‘re’s Tetsu ? – He somehow managed to stretch in the way-too-stuffed and deep sofa without disturbing his blankets.

\- He went to bring food to our guest. They’re probably best buds already. – Keiji sighed.

\- That’s a mess, Kou. A real mess. What are we going to do ? I have no idea how…what happened.

\- Hey. – He stood up and then kneeled by Keiji’s head, careful not to move suddenly. This close, he could see the tiny unnatural movements under the other man’s right eyelid and when the silence fell completely, enveloping the whole house, he swore he could almost hear the gears, bits and mechanical pieces spread under Keiji’s moonlight-pale skin. It should’ve disgusted him, he knew, to be close to someone…something so completely unnatural and born out of, he knew now, curiousity, ambition and a little bit of greed. His parliament definitely hadn’t approved of him. Their loss. – Listen…

\- I heard what you told Tetsu. I am not blaming myself, just…

\- We’re going to sit down like mature adults, this time with that man across from us, we will decide what would be the most logical and safe way to proceed, we will prepare a detailed plan, you will decide to add just one thing, me and Tetsu will do something rash, it will all go down in flames and, in the end, we will escape with more than we had hoped to. You know, as usual. – Keiji just smiled a little.

\- You, wonderful man.

 

He was not having the time of his life, Tooru thought. He’d finally, after enough wobbling and trying not to lean on anything considering how fragile the crystal domes, vases and mechanical pieces looked, so reaching the door he’d been told was the bathroom had been a challenge. And now, now he had to figure it out. Seriously, who were these people ? Obviously rich, obviously not caring about money at all, but also…Who had an actual pool in their bathroom ? With so many faucets ? Why would anyone have it ? Well, he could see why, if he could afford the water and electricity bill, and the space, he would have a hot pool, too, but was not the issue. The issue was…who were they ? 

It took him another few minutes of uncomfortable kneeling on the cold stone slabs to figure out the taps and that they dispensed shampoo, body wash and, for some reason, glittery bath bombs, but in the end he stepped in the steaming water. Oh. Oh, that was good. Squirming a little, because the water was hot, he still submerged all the way to his shoulders, and then sat on one of the carved benches. That was more than good. The hot water was doing wonders to his sore muscles and he knew that if he was left alone for long enough, he would fall back asleep.

No time for that, though, so he ducked his entire head under the surface and then broke it back with a hiss. A spot on his nape burned a little and when he poked it a little, he felt a scab. Bleeding wound. He’d had a bleeding head wound. This brought the question, how long had he slept for ? The brunet had carefully avoided the question so he couldn’t sure. Still. Finding some nice shampoo and conditioner, he got to business. He always thought better with clean hair.

 

Feeling almost human, with a soft towel around his hips, Tooru inspected himself in one of the huge mirrors. His entire body was bruised. He could swear he looked worse than that one time in high school when he’d tried to learn too many new moves in practice. It had taken him weeks to heal. Those…those weren’t so dark and they didn’t really hurt, but they were everywhere. Like someone had pressed his entire body between two walls and then squeezed. It bothered him more than he’d admit that he had no memory of anything that had led to his current condition. Oh, well. Now came the more complicated part. 

Toweling his hair, he limped to the bedroom and looked for the pile of clothes the last man had brought. And he found it. Along with the person sitting by it. It was…Keiji ? Tooru thought that’s how Mr Yellow Eyes had called him. With one leg crossed over the other and a calm expression, he was very much the lord of the manor. Tooru would feel inadequate, but after the long soak in the hot water and the deep angry scrub he’d given himself, he felt more like the person he knew he was. And a pretty face would not be enough to intimidate him. He wouldn’t allow it.

\- To what do I owe this honour ? – Maybe antagonizing him was not the wisest idea but for whatever reason, they wanted to keep him alive. He wasn’t above abusing that, or pushing. Trying and seeing how far his opponents would go and how low they would sink was how he’d led his team, breaking resistance with pure and simple persistence and skill. No tricks, no playing the referees, just straight up pushing. This, here ? It was the same. Find the weak spot and hit it. Hit it until it breaks.

\- Tetsu mentioned you would like to try to come downstairs. I came to see if you needed help. – He showed his palms, obviously trying to placate him. It was a half-hearted attempt at best.

\- I think I can manage some stairs. But I appreciate the care. Now, if you don’t mind… - And he waved to his own almost-naked body.

\- I never said how long the staircases were. 

\- And I never said I cared. Are you here for a show ? Because I don’t do those kinds of things in front of strangers and, well, it will cost you a lot. – The man let out a breath and stood up.

Stopping by the door, he turned to look at Tooru. 

\- If any of us wanted you hurt or dead, you wouldn’t have even woken up.

\- And if you just wanted to do your civil duty, I would’ve woken up in hospital. – The man…smiled. It was a miniature twist of his lips to one side, but it was definitely there. For a moment, at least.

\- You’re smart. Good. Your chances of survival just went up. Don’t be late, or there won’t be any dessert left. – And then he dropped the door behind himself, letting it slam with the finality of a medieval dungeon. What had he gotten himself into ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with this and reading !


	4. Day 2.3 : Comfortable armchairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Akaashi Keiji. The one with the permanent bedhead…  
>  \- Hey, stop hating on my hair !  
>  \- Is Kuroo. And this is Bokuto.   
>  \- Oikawa Tooru. Nice to meet you all.  
>  \- Now, now. No need for sarcasm. Keiji might take it as a challenge and then you’d be snapping at each other ‘till the end of time. And me and Bo will either starve to death or get brain aneurisms from rolling our eyes so much. – And then he leaned forward. – It’s a dangerous game you don’t want to play. Trust me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just went over 10 000 words, yay ! So proud. Anyway, thank you for keeping up. Unbeta-ed, because, why not ? Also, kind of character death ? But not really ? He's not dead, obviously, but it's discussed and might come up later. Yeah.

Pretty Boy hadn’t been joking. Tooru exhaled, loudly, happy there was nobody around to see him. Spiral staircases. Who had spiral staircases ? Made from, unless he was going blind, real stone, carved with ornaments, and long enough that he couldn’t see the lower floor even if the stairs were wide and steep. At least there was a bannister so the possibility of him losing his balance and breaking his neck actually went down. So far so good.

Leaning heavily on the smooth stone, he stepped down carefully. It wasn’t even his headache or his not-so-good eyesight that was getting to him – for some reason the shape of the stairs was messing with his depth perception and forced him to go extra slow. Just in case. At least the stone was warm under his bare feet, and the actual steps were not smooth around the edges. It was all super fancy and dramatic but he had the weird feeling he’d spend the last…whatever days in an actual tower. In a castle or something. Disney had nothing on whoever had built this place. And people really lived there ? 

At least there were no weird drafts or whatever happened in old castles. There were even windows, but they were too high on the wall and all Tooru could do was take tiny little steps, cursing his agreement to change shifts on that night all the way down.

What felt like years later, he found himself at the bottom, three floors down. His toes sunk in a deep maroon carpet and he looked around. After the borderline medieval trip from the bedroom, he’d expected more stone, maybe a few shackles lining the walls. A skeleton with a sword here and there. Not…this. 

It was a regular upper class house. Lots of light and open space, pale furniture and, well, more stuff. On shelves or straight on the walls, on the occasional coffee table, on counters. True, there was more order than upstairs but he could see the touch.

\- Look who decided to join us. – He turned sharply but the man just raised his palms in defeat. – Glad to see you up and moving. How’s the head ?

\- Better. The trip down Rapunzel’s tower definitely didn’t help, though. – His host scratched his nape with an apologetic smile.

\- It’s the quietest part of the house. And the safest. – Safest from what ? – Anyway, come on. We have ice cream and I promised answers.

The man led him to a side room that also looked like a living room, and the other two guys were also there, chatting quietly. The conversation paused when they entered and Pretty Boy raised an eyebrow while his friend just smiled. Widely.

\- Hey, hey, hey ! You came !

\- Nah, Kou, I know he looks all relaxed and happy but I think that’s just the shower. Unless there’s something you want to share with the rest of us ? – And then the man next to him winked. It took Tooru’s muddled brain a second to get the joke but when he did, he fixed a pleasant smile on his lips and turned to the apparent comedian in the room.

\- Sorry, but I need more than a couple of days to develop levels of Stockholm Syndrome high enough to consider sex. I appreciate the effort, though.

\- Ooo, he got you there, bro ! – Pure comedy. Picking the deepest armchair around the ornate coffee table, Tooru sat gingerly and then promptly sunk so low his knees ended up higher than his chin. Making a desperate grab for the armrests, his elbows were, instead, enveloped in a strong warm grip. Pretty Boy was smiling lightly as he pulled Tooru up and somehow managed to stuff a cushion on the chair, rendering it usable at the same time. Impressive.

\- Careful. 

\- Is the place booby-trapped against lazy thieves or what ? – He heard the other two men giggle like children on the couch but his attention was on the light grey eyes in front of him.

\- Not really. It’s just comfortable.

\- If you say so…

\- So, dude, what’s your name ? ‘Cause you’ve been here for a while and we can’t keep calling you “Bookstore boy” forever. – Rude, considering none of them had offered their own names, but sure. On the other hand…

\- You’ve been calling me “Bookstore boy” ?

\- Nope. – The guy who still wore his yellow contacts shrugged, the smile still shining on his face. – It was more like “ that guy upstairs”. But that’s too long. So, name ? – Tooru narrowed his eyes but they seemed genuine. Or, at least as genuine as a gang of kidnappers could.

\- How about you start ? – That did not get the desired effect. Pretty Boy just shrugged.

\- Akaashi Keiji. The one with the permanent bedhead…

\- Hey, stop hating on my hair !

\- Is Kuroo. And this is Bokuto. – He ended with a wave to the last man. Kuroo and Bokuto, huh ? But all the times they’d been around him, they’d kept using their given names. It was an interesting bit of information and he filed it for later examination. – Your turn.

\- Oikawa Tooru. Nice to meet you all.

\- Now, now. – Bedhead, no, Kuroo, smirked again. Was it his default expression or what ? – No need for sarcasm. Keiji might take it as a challenge and then you’d be snapping at each other ‘till the end of time. And me and Bo will either starve to death or get brain aneurisms from rolling our eyes so much. – And then he leaned forward. – It’s a dangerous game you don’t want to play. Trust me. – The last was said with a low, ominous voice and Tooru could bet that if the man had had a torch, he’d be holding it under his face like a bad horror film.

\- Okay. Now that I know what to tell the police, can you tell me where am I ? – Akaashi closed his eyes, carding a slim hand through his curls. Seriously, how was it possible for a man to be beautiful ? Even with messy hair and obviously tired face, he was still a model. Tooru, on the other hand, knew he looked like something that had crawled out from a swamp if he’d had a bad day. It wasn’t fair. Kuroo and Bokuto shared an uncomfortable look and apparently reached some sort of agreement, because Kuroo turned back to him.

\- Next question. – What ?

\- Excuse me, but…you didn’t just say “Next question”, did you ? I must’ve misheard.

\- Yep. – He popped the last letter. – Your level of hostage is not high enough for the location of your prison to be revealed. So, next question.

\- What Tetsurou was trying to say… - Akaashi dropped one leg and then crossed the other. – Is that it will take a while to explain so you might want to ask something else first. 

\- Always stealing my moments, Keiji. You’re not playing fair. – That most definitely didn’t make things any clearer.

\- Okay. Let me try again. When am I going home ? – From their faces, he could just tell he was about to get another “Next”. And he was not agreeing to that a second time. He   
wasn’t. They weren’t telling him anything, they were obviously pretending he had a say in the matter and while the “why” kept eluding him, he would not just sit there and…

\- You aren’t. – Tooru’s overlapping thoughts screeched to a halt. He must had misheard. 

\- What… - What were they going to do to him ? And why give him hope, why lie ? 

\- You can’t go back, at least not to your previous life. – Bokuto sighed a little, all the cheer gone from his face. Akaashi was still rubbing his own temples, hiding his face in his   
palm, while Kuroo was looking at Bokuto. – We can get you back to Japan, if you insist, but… - He shrugged, voice low and apologetic. – it will be with new everything. New name, new passport. New school records. New hospital records. Birth certificate. You seem like a smart guy, I’m sure you know what I mean. – That didn’t make any sense.

\- Why. – Tooru didn’t even shape it as a question. His entire body felt frozen and nothing really made sense. The man’s words didn’t sound like something that should’ve been outside of a novel. The house and its fucking towers didn’t make sense. The three weirdos in front of him were all wrong, with their eyes, and faces and unnatural movements. There was only one possibility. – You’re lying.

He was actually proud of how calm his own voice came out. He knew he still looked confused but the sheer impossibility of what Bokuto was describing made it obvious it was all a lie. And not even a good one.

\- Why would we lie ? – Akaashi apparently was back to being the local “lord of the manor” though his left eye did appear bloodshot. Had he been rubbing it ?

\- Why would I need a new identity ? I don’t have enemies. I am not involved with Yakuza. Why would I need a new life ?

\- Because… - Bokuto…Bokuto was looking at him like he was about to tell him his cat had died. Like he had the worst possible news and couldn’t even talk around it. It was pity. Pure and simple pity. And if there was one thing Tooru couldn’t stand directed towards him, it was exactly that.

\- Tell me ! – His mind was going hazy and he felt he was swaying on his feet. Why was he on his feet ?

\- They buried you. – Kuroo reached and pulled Bokuto to himself, his arm tight around the other man’s shoulder. The gesture was just as wrong as everything else and Tooru felt like he was about to scream.

\- Good, good. – Bokuto blinked, painfully bright eyes almost glowing with concern. He probably thought Tooru had lost his mind. Which, incidentally, would make much more sense than anything else. – Now, why would they be burying me ? And who are “they” ?

He was hissing through his teeth and couldn’t find it in himself to care that he probably sounded deranged.

\- Your friends. Family. Everyone who knows you. The ceremony should be done by now, I think. – Kuroo just shrugged. – If it makes you feel better, I saw photos. It was beautiful. And your friends had lots of nice things to say.

\- That doesn’t answer my initial question, now, does it, Kuroo ? Does it ? Why. Are people burying me ?

\- After the accident, which was ruled out as a burglary gone wrong, by the way, - Akaashi seemed to have calmed down. – they found a body. Looked exactly like you. People recognised you. The tests matched. It was a stomach wound. – He waved a little, obviously trying to explain in the best way possible. – The police was called too late. You were already dead. Whatever little money had been in the till, was stolen. No evidence. It was ruled out as you being on the wrong place in the wrong time. Or, at least that’s what the official reports say. Police, doctors…Everyone.

\- You do realise this doesn’t make any sense, don’t you ? – He had to check.

\- Of course. But that’s why you can’t go back. Not only does everyone think you are dead, but also there are medical record and coroner reports that, well, you are dead. You   
really don’t want to be recognised and taken for questioning. Trust me.

\- Okay. – Tooru took a deep breath. Held it in. Let it out. Opened his eyes. – Let’s, for a second, accept that you’re telling the truth.

\- Oi… - Bokuto had raised his head from Kuroo’s shoulder and was looking at Tooru with narrowed eyes. 

\- It’s fine, Kou. – Akaashi, on the other hand, was not even a little ruffled. – Yes ?

\- Why…and, more importantly, how would anyone do this ? – Because the moment he took that as truth, more questions rose to the surface and he was not a fan of plot holes.

\- Actually, - Akaashi had the audacity to smile a little. In a moment like this ? – the “how” is easy to answer. There are several fast, cheap and dependable ways to do it. Especially since the body was already dead. They didn’t need it to pass for you, they just needed it to look like you. Records are easy to forge. The “why”… We don’t know.

\- How very helpful. – He wasn’t even trying to conceal his sarcasm.

\- It is the truth. We thought you were collateral damage, an innocent caught in crossfire. This, this shows preparation. You don’t just get one of those corpses on the moment. 

\- Keiji…

\- You don’t ! – Why did he sound defensive so suddenly ? – I do, but most people don’t. Anyway, I think that sums it up. – It didn’t, not really, but Tooru decided to keep pushing.

\- You have evidence ? – Three pairs of confused eyes blinked at him.

\- Evidence of what ? – Akaashi cocked his head to the side, the movement so Bokuto-like it made Tooru wonder how long they had been living together.

\- Of all the stuff you just said. 

\- Yes. – What ? – Do you want to see it ? Because it’s not going to be pretty. Or pleasant.

\- Keiji. – Kuroo was still sitting down, Bokuto’s chin on his shoulder, but he was glaring at the other man. – We are not doing this.

\- He wants to see, Tetsu. – Oh, he was getting nasty. Tooru could read the tone, he’d heard it way too many times from his own lips, after all.

\- Not like this. – And then he turned back to Tooru. – You’re not going there. Trust me. Not now. Maybe later, maybe in a few years. But not now. I know you hate it when people doubt your skills, Keiji, but that’s not the way. – Oh, he could sulk. Akaashi’s pretty lips turned down and he raised his chin a little. Tooru would be intimidated, except that he wasn’t. There was too much to think about without worrying about some random guy’s opinion.

\- So what do I do now ? If I can’t go back home ? – He needed a plan, something to think about. Because there would be time to digest what he’d just heard but he’d rather postpone it. As much as possible.

\- You can get a new life. – Bokuto was still almost on top of Kuroo and seemed content to just stay there. – Or… - He glanced at the other two. Again with the silent   
communication. – Or, you can stay here. As long as you want.

\- How hospitable of you. And what do you get out of it ? If neither of you is lying, then I have nothing on my name to offer. – He really couldn’t think about that, not now. Or he’d go mad. Keiji dropped the pout and shrugged with one shoulder.

\- Nothing. But we have space, money’s not an issue and I’m sure you’ll find something to do in no time. Look. – The man had interrupted him when he’d been about to interrupt him. Rude. – You don’t have to make a decision. There’s a lot to take in. You’re still sick and we like company.

\- No, we don’t. – That was Kuroo’s contribution. 

\- Well, we don’t, not like this, but you seem like a nice exception. We’ll get to the bottom of it and you can move forward. Or you can do it now and take your new identity. Or, you can just hang around, looking for the purpose of life. Your choice. – Too surreal. And since nothing hadn’t started making sense yet, he chose the obvious option.

\- I think I want to sleep it off. You got a spare bed around here that’s not in a tower ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading ! How was it ? Drop a comment, let me know, come and see me at kenjiro-s.tumblr.com


	5. Day 2.4 : Floating islands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Does your…- He obviously didn’t know how to finish the sentence.  
> \- Parliament leader. – Koutarou was helpful, as always.  
> \- Par…What ? You know, forget it. Does your parliament leader know you’re stealing his clothes ?  
> \- Of course. – Koutarou rolled his eyes. Duh. Tetsurou still got the occasional nightmare of Keiji’s face when he’d tried stealing a shirt the first time. It had been terrifying. For such a pretty creature, the man knew how to get unpleasant and do it fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still on board, still going. This one's a little longer, but just a little. Watch me try to write fantasy.

\- Was this a good idea ? – Tetsurou looked at his partner. Koutarou stuffed the spoon with ice cream in his mouth and chewed. After so many years, Tetsurou still had moments when he wasn’t sure what, exactly, he was living with. He’d inquired a little, decades ago, but Keiji had confirmed – it was just Koutarou, him being a shifter had nothing to do with it.

\- You chewing ice cream ? No idea, bro. Doesn’t look like it. Don’t you get brain freeze or anything ?

\- Nah. ‘t’s good. I meant him. – Koutarou waved the spoon in the general direction of the couch where their guests was currently pretending to sleep. – Telling him and all.  
Tetsurou ran a hand through his hair.

\- He had to hear it at some point. Hey, you think we should, dunno, pretend to wake him up or something ? He’s been doing that the last hour, it can’t be pleasant.

\- Sometimes, Tetsu, - Koutarou spoke with the tone of a monk. – a man needs his sulking time.

\- Dude, I know, I live with Keiji. – They both snorted. – Still, I think he’ll get himself a headache or something. Maybe we should get him out of the house, introduce him back to fresh air ? Might be good and it will clear his head.

\- Fresh air ? Here ? – Tetsurou sighed.

\- Well… - He tapped the ice cream tub, metal clinking on plastic. – Maybe one of the paths ? It will take his mind out of everything.

\- You only want that because you haven’t been there recently. – Koutarou just shrugged, obviously completely unapologetic.

\- I like it. And the hazels should be in bloom. – Tetsurou did his best to hide his shudder. There were reasons he didn’t go with Koutarou to one of his favourite places. Blooming hazel trees were one of the top 3 of said reasons. – They’re pretty.

\- Is it safe for him ?

\- Sure. You’ve never gotten hurt.

\- There was that one time…

\- Bro, I told you not to get close. 

\- I wanted to smell it. It looked pretty ! 

\- Yeah, that’s the whole point. And he’ll be completely safe. I know what I’m doing.

\- Does he get a say in the matter ? – The spoon clanked on the tiled floor and Tetsurou stared with wide eyes at their guest. Koutarou didn’t drop his utensil but it hung from his lips, golden eyes focused on the man standing by one of the fridges. 

Sloppy. After so many years of hunting and being hunted, when the house had been the only safe haven, they were getting relaxed. Not even Keiji managed to sneak around on them, not anymore, and the man walked like his feet didn’t touch the ground. This, on the other hand…This stranger had gotten up, walked to the kitchen, listened for gods knew how long and had just stood there waiting to be noticed. Tetsurou didn’t like to be startled, especially not in his own house. It wasn’t right.

\- You finally decided faking it wasn’t worth it ? – Oikawa just cocked a hip to one side. While he was still annoyed, Tetsurou had to admit he looked much better. Even if he hadn’t slept, his entire personality seemed recharged. It suited him, this confidence.

\- Couldn’t sleep with how loud I was being talked about within hearing distance. It was quite distracting. – Said with a straight face. Oh, he was so right – him and Keiji would get  
along perfectly.

\- So you want to go out ? I’ll show you the town and all. – Oikawa blinked at Koutarou who had managed to put everything away and even wash his spoon in the minute or so Tetsurou and Oikawa had been glaring at each other.

\- What about the, what was it, hazels ? – Oh, he didn’t know what he was asking for. Tetsurou felt kind of bad for him.

\- You might want to leave those for tomorrow.

\- Like my questions ? – Turning his own words against him. He was definitely entertaining.

\- Exactly. The question will be answered, by the way. The moment you set foot outside. – And then, because Oikawa was blinking like he’d been given a test on a subject he’d  
never heard of, Tesurou felt obliged to add. – A piece of advice, because Kou will take you to see the bloody hazel trees. Be careful.

\- Why ?

\- Thorns. – The raised eyebrows he got as a response led him to believe Oikawa was doubting him. – It’s hazels. They have thorns. Big ones.

\- Okay ! – This time, only Oikawa jumped. Ah, he had so much to learn. – You can borrow some clothes and we can go ! Let me go through Keiji’s closet… - And then he left,  
Oikawa still rooted on spot, seemingly lost.

\- You okay ?

\- Is he…always like this ?

\- Like what ? – Tetsurou knew his wide smile didn’t help Oikawa’s mood but he couldn’t help it. He was back on familiar ground and the only variable was safe in front of him and couldn’t really do anything to startle him. 

\- Enthusiastic ? – That was one way to say it.

\- Kind of. But if you ask if that’s his default mode, yes. Kou is just a happy creature. 

\- Sounds simple. – Tetsurou shrugged. It was. And it also wasn’t, but that was not something he wanted to talk about, especially with their guest. He didn’t know how whatever relationship the three of them had with him would go, so keeping secrets was the norm. – Wait, did he say he’d get clothes from…?

\- Keiji’s extensive collection ? Yeah. – Oikawa looked like was trying to decide between laughing and running for the tower.

\- Should I expect retribution ?

\- Why ?

\- Because he looks like he has people who do his laundry, iron it and then hang it, and he keeps everything organised by several factors, in alphabetical order ? – He couldn’t help it, this time. Tetsurou snorted lightly and then, when Oikawa mock-glared, he dipped his head and just kept laughing. It was amazing how close he’d hit to home. 

\- Care to share the joke ? – Oh, crossed arms he was trying to appear serious.

\- You’re almost right. He gets quite neurotic when it comes to his wardrobe.

\- He doesn’t like me being here, does he ? – Their guest had abandoned the pretense and was almost smiling.

\- Keiji ? – After the small nod, Tetsurou thought about it for a second. How to describe it best… - You being here means he made a mistake. A really, really serious mistake. And since he’s the type who checks his calculations five times before even starting anything…You can see how he’d be upset. Also, no offense, but you seem to poke him on purpose.

\- You can’t prove a thing. Is this about that book you were looking for ?

\- Kind of, but not only that. This thing with you happened because we have a new player on the board and we had no idea. And, - Tetsurou exhaled loudly. – we don’t know who they are or what they want. It’s not pleasant. For now, though…

\- Here. – Another jump. If he was going to stick around, even if it was going to be only for a little bit, Oikawa had to learn not to react to people sneaking around. It would get  
tiring too fast. 

\- Does your…- He obviously didn’t know how to finish the sentence.

\- Parliament leader. – Koutarou was helpful, as always.

\- Par…What ? You know, forget it. Does your parliament leader know you’re stealing his clothes ?

\- Of course. – Koutarou rolled his eyes. Duh. Tetsurou still got the occasional nightmare of Keiji’s face when he’d tried stealing a shirt the first time. It had been terrifying. For such a pretty creature, the man knew how to get unpleasant and do it fast. 

Pulling on the too large hoodie ( because it had been Koutarou’s originally, then Keiji had stolen it and declared it his, so it was pretty big in the shoulders, even on Oikawa ), Oikawa ruffled his hair, somehow managing to get it to fall in perfect style without even looking at a mirror or chasing a comb. He finished with socks that Tetsurou recognised as his own. He laughed.

\- What’s so funny ? – Oh, he could pout. It was cute. And he knew it.

\- That’s Kou’s hoodie, Keiji’s jeans and my socks. So domestic. – And he smiled, widely. Oikawa narrowed his eyes but before he could come up with some scalding response, Koutarou pushed him, not so gently, towards the door.

 

There went nothing. Bokuto opened the door and instead of straight up skipping out, the man paused and looked back.

\- You coming ? – No time like the present.

 

Well, shit. When they’d told him explaining would be complicated, he’d thought they were simply exaggerating and were probably living in the middle of nowhere or something, though the “Bring you back to Japan” had been odd. Not…whatever that was.

Feet rooted to the ground, Tooru could only stare. The abnormally still air made him feel like he was in an old abstract painting and Bokuto’s concerned expression didn’t help.

\- Hey. – At least he kept his voice down. Tooru wasn’t sure if he could keep it together if he got startled at that moment. – You okay, dude ?

\- What…is this ? – The other man sighed and then simply pulled Tooru by the wrist. 

\- What is what ? – Rude.

\- Um, not sure if you’ve noticed, but the sky…it’s fucking green.

\- Technically… - Tooru glared, but Bokuto had regained his wide smile, light eyes glowing in the twilight. – It’s erin.

\- It’s what ?

\- That exact colour ? The name’s erin.

\- Yes, but…It’s still green ! It’s the sky ! Why ! Is the sky green ? I am not going to even start with the floating things ! 

\- Oh. Ooooooh. – How could it take someone so long to understand ? – Sorry, we run around a lot and you kind of stop thinking erin sky is weird. But, um…Because it is ? – How  
very helpful.

\- Okay. Let’s try again. The sky… - Bokuto stopped in the middle of the road and nodded seriously. – should be blue. Or grey. Not…green.

\- Erin.

\- Same thing !

\- Okay, but why would it be blue ? – Was he insane ? Was all of this a hallucination ?

\- Because it’s…

\- Ah, yes. You’re from…Sorry. Yeah, in here, it’s erin. In your dimension it might be blue, but – He shrugged. – We’re not there anymore.

\- We’re not on Earth ? – Tooru had the vague thought that if this was all real, he’d fulfilled his live-long dream and gotten kidnapped by real aliens, but for some reason it didn’t feel as good as he’d expected.

\- Not in the Universe, no. – He sounded so…casual. Like it was completely normal for them not to be in the same Universe.

\- So, the sun, the moons, the planets…

\- Nope. 

\- Is this…space travel ? Or… - Could it be ? He’d never been one to believe but… - Or is it magic ?

It felt wrong even to say it because unlike his friends, he wasn’t one to believe in the supernatural. It just wasn’t his thing. The current events, though, were pushing his boundaries. A lot.

\- Um… - Bokuto scratched the back of his neck and resumed walking, Tooru hurrying helplessly after him. – It travel through space, I guess ? And we use science when it comes to magic ? I mean, how else would we know how it works, right ?

\- Right. – The sky was still green, though, and Tooru almost tripped over his own feet a few times because he was staring up. There were some vaguely mountain-shaped things in the distance though they looked a bit like a wall, there was huge chunks of rock straight up floating above his head and there were…houses. Kind of wonky, but still – normal houses. – You want to tell me where, then, if not in my Universe, am…

\- Daishou ! – And just like that, his host was not listening to him. – What’s up, dude ? Where’ve you been ? – It took a few seconds of looking around but Tooru saw another man leaning on a pillar of a stone fence. The house behind him looked like a mansion if it was built by a teenager in the “I hate my parents” phase of their life. It was just so overly dramatically gothic. At least it wasn’t a castle. Dark purple walls with black ornaments, creepy bare trees, and…

\- What’s with everyone here and the towers ? – Because Creepy House had…he counted twelve. And that was only the ones he could see. He had to admit the aesthetic worked for whatever reason (probably the erin sky balanced it out, his brain supplied) but still.

\- What ? – The guy was casually leaning with his chin on his palm and a smile that looked just a little shifty. – They give extra space and look cool. Who’s the exterior designer, Bo ?

\- Oikawa. This is Daishou. – Bokuto waved at the new guy a little, and Oikawa got a toothy smile in response. He also noticed the man had green highlights and the most emo straight fringe he’d seen out of high school. And, again. It somehow worked. – Daishou, Oikawa. He’s our guest and I’m showing him around. – Daishou just nodded, expression going thoughtful. Tooru kept his face blank though he didn’t like the way the other man seemed to size him up. – Hey, dude, I hate to ask but…

\- What ? – Dark green eyes shifted to Bokuto, the man not moving a muscle otherwise.

\- You done something to Keiji’s spells four days ago ? ‘Cause someone seriously messed them up and I know it’s kind of your thing to poke at Tetsu, but that’s not cool. – The  
thoughtful expression returned. Wait, four days ? How long had he slept ?

\- Four…wasn’t me. This time. I took some time off, took Taichi to the beach. He likes it here but misses the sun, apparently. – Daishou shrugged. – It was nice. Everyone liked it a lot. We just got back, actually, still unpacking. – Why ? What happened ?

\- Nothing. – Bokuto just shrugged. – Someone just really messed up his numbers and he was pretty upset. – Daishou snorted. Oikawa’s eyes focused over his shoulder where a tall blond man with rather sleepy expression was walking slowly towards them. Was it rule that everyone here had to be super hot ? Because it wasn’t fair. Also, Bokuto had just lied. And his face…his face hadn’t shown even a hint of it. Tooru’s opinion kept changing and he was sure the man next to him was absolutely not the loud idiot he was acting like. He reminded himself to stay on his guard, just in case.

\- Yeah, I don’t envy you with him.

\- Now…

 

\- That was unnecessary, Suguru. – Daishou looked back at the newcomer. Who was in…pajamas ? with snakes on them ?

\- Taichi, hey, hey ! – Light eyes rose and the man smiled a little. Just a touch. – Heard you had a vacation. How was it ? You’re definitely looking tan !

\- Good, thank you. We needed it. This place is nice but sometimes… You know.

\- Yeah. We’ve got to go guys, I want to show Oikawa the hazels. See you later ?

\- Yes. You should come over to dinner some time. Hiroo wants Akaashi to take a look at his project before he tries to actually run it.

\- I’ll tell him. Thanks, guys ! – And then Tooru’s hand was being pulled while all he could do was try to keep up. A loud thunder made him jump and turn on reflex. It was a thick  
grey cloud hanging right above the mansion. And it was pouring rain. While not a drop was getting out of the fenced zone. 

\- Do I want to know ? 

\- Dunno. Do you ? – Bokuto was looking at him, smiling a little. And still holding his hand. 

\- Um, is everyone here weird ? – It was probably one of the worst ways he could had said it but it was true. 

\- Kind of ? you have to be. This…look, you know you can travel between dimensions, right ?

\- Sure, I leant it about ten minutes ago, but I know it. – His guide didn’t seem to notice the sarcasm.

\- Well, this place is like…the corridor between them. Or a crossroad. There’s nothing here, it’s just the space inbetween. Makes sense ?

\- Sort of. – It actually did. If he managed to wrap his head around the whole “travel between dimensions” thing, the explanation would be the next most logical concept.

\- It’s not meant to be occupied. That’s why the weather’s so weird. Depending on which portal’s use or is just open, different things get in or out and react to each other. It’s a big pile of messed up climate, to be honest. 

\- And yet you live here. 

\- Yeah. – Bokuto reached up and when Tooru glanced at his hand, he saw they were walking under what looked like a small floating island that was just hovering low enough to touch if one really stretched up. It was all rusty yellow dirt and black roots, with the occasional rock. – Here. – And then he wraps the fingers of his spare hand around Tooru’s wrist, raising his arm along his. – Touch it.

He didn’t want to. He really, really didn’t want to.

\- What if we disturb its balance and it falls on our heads ? That thing’s huge, it will kill us.

\- Come on, it won’t fall.

\- You can’t know that ! – He knew he was raising his voice but he couldn’t really help it. It was an island, floating a little above 2 metres above the ground. It was surreal but not surreal enough to stop him from overthinking it. Not anymore.

\- Hey. – Tooru looked down from where his fingers were almost stroking the dirt. Bokuto’s warm, yellow eyes held his and he felt a hand on the small of his back, pulling him in. He knew he was staring, mouth open, but he couldn’t help it. His chest pressed to the other man and he could feel all those muscles he’d kind of suspected were there. And he was hot. Even through the thick hoodie, Tooru could feel the heat radiating from the body against his and all he could do was stare. 

Bokuto’s face was so close Tooru felt he had to close his eyes or he’d drown in the glowing gaze in front of him, but he couldn’t. The hand rode up on his back, pressing his spine and they were flush against each other. Tooru swallowed. This was not going where he’d thought it would. For a second, he felt breath against his lips and then, instead of kissing him, Bokuto ran his own lips along his cheek. Face against his, he couldn’t see the other man anymore. He couldn’t see anything, actually, because the tension was pressing and he felt he couldn’t breathe.

\- Here. See ? Not so bad. – It was more of an exhale against his ear than words but he still heard it. What was he… Oh. He was touching it. He’d forgotten that one of his hands had been up in the air and now, his fingers were pressed against slightly wet soil. He raised his eyes again, slowly, but there was nothing strange there. Or, at least, stranger than the actual floating island. It was just, he wiggled his fingers, just dirt. Regular dirt. Above his head. Carrying tons of rocks and grass and… - That’s it. Nothing bad’s going to happen. I won’t allow it.

Bokuto stroked his back a few more times, the touch strong and grounding, and then pulled back. He still kept hold of his hand, though, and Tooru considered protesting but decided against it. Whatever had happened had been exceptional and he felt like he needed the touch to keep his head together.

\- Come on. I still want to see the hazel trees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good ? Bad ? Meh ? Let me know. Come and chat on kenjiro-s.tumblr.com


	6. Day 2.5 : Marble Pools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Beautiful. You...are so gorgeous you make my heart hurt. And I adore you more than my own soul.  
> \- Not sure if that counts, Tetsu. Considering how you haven’t been anywhere near said soul for more than half a millennium.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All aboard the exposition train !  
> .  
> There will be smut... but not now ! Seriously, though. Thank you for stopping by or for keeping on reading if you're binging it. I appreciate it.

Some people, when in obsession or mania or whatever, Tetsurou knew, tended to forget to take care of themselves. They didn’t eat, didn’t sleep, didn’t speak. Or shower. He shuddered, remembering some of the…individuals he’d had to deal with before meeting Keiji or Koutarou. Gross. But the current situation was something completely different. 

Tetsurou didn’t bother knocking on the doorframe, leaning on it instead, the tray quiet in his hands. The workshop was a mess. There was so much paper on the floor that he wasn’t even sure where it went when Keiji didn’t need it. It was scary. Graphs, texts, blueprints and equations he knew stretched for metres were thrown on the floor, over chairs and were spilling from drawers. He poked a scroll on a side table by his left hand and the thing jumped at his hand, almost taking a finger off. He wasn’t even surprised, the manuscript didn’t like him and it hadn’t from the very beginning, back when Tetsurou had removed it from that dead pharaoh’s stomach. Mummies were not his favourite but this time the danger had been the artifact itself. Not that he cared. Or Keiji, for that matter. It was just another source of information.

Still, when it went for his elbow for the third time, he sighed and pulled out one of the huge black markers Keiji kept around the place. Pointing the wide tip towards the offending piece of literature, he waved it a little and if scrolls had faces, this one would be pouting. It settled for rolling in itself instead, and then tinkling on the floor, joining a pile of crystal rods. Ah, sound archives. So delicate, so difficult to work with. And so loud. 

\- Are you going to just stand there ? – The man in the middle of the pile of stuff didn’t even turn to look at him. Unlike all those other people, Keiji…he was a special case.

\- Brought you food. – That got his attention. Straightening from his painful-looking slouch, Keiji ran a hand through his curls and stretched his arms above his head. Which made the soft t-shirt he was wearing ride up and show Tetsurou that he was in his usual “deep in work” attire – loose top and just a pair of tiny shorts as a bottom. He wholeheartedly approved of the man’s fashion choices. Oh, yes, he did. – What are you doing that got your temperature high that fast ? You haven’t been here that long.

\- I can’t figure it out ! – He messed his hair again. Tetsurou balanced the tray on a pile of relatively calm hardcover books and stepped in the workshop. Carefully navigating around the things that might try to take a bite of his flesh, he reached Keiji, stopping right behind him. That was when things got tricky. Moving slowly, he placed both hands on Keiji’s hipbones and then ran them, just as slowly, up, until he wrapped them around his chest. And Keiji…was burning. Tetsurou knew that because he was always cold, the other man’s skin would feel warm, but this was something else. Tetsurou knew he wouldn’t be able to hold him much longer considering how he could feel his skin get uncomfortably scratchy, letting him know he’d been touching a flame for far too long. Releasing one arm, he slid it through Keiji’s hair and almost pulled back in reflex. Only years of doing the exact same thing stopped him from moving on instinct. Keiji’s scalp was burning, even worse than his chest. That was it.

\- Come on, you need a bath. – And there went the resistance.

\- I don’t have time for that, Tetsu. Whatever went wrong, I need to fix it and do it now ! We have no idea who did it or why, and they are obviously a danger to us. – He was getting more and more agitated, and Tetsurou couldn’t allow that.

\- Look, I know, but I also know that you know that all those fine, fine gears, wires and mechanisms are extremely heat-sensitive. You’ll melt something, love, or worse – short-circuit it. I can’t allow that, not while I’m breathing. 

The body in his arms stilled. He felt the sigh more than hearing it and Keiji turned to look at him. Changeable eyes met his, the colour reminding him of the moment ocean met sky before the storm hit, of endless horizons and heavy clouds, of the taste of rain and ozone on his tongue and the bite of chilling wind. The colour of the sky he’d grown to hate and the eyes he’d come to love more than life itself. Tetsurou smiled a little. Keiji was gorgeous and he knew it.

\- Come on, poppet. You need rest. – Keiji pouted at the endearment. Tetsurou could only laugh and tug his hand. 

\- Tetsu… - It was cute but if the other man had stooped to whining, then the situation was worse than he thought. For now, all he could do was drag his partner in the master bathroom to wash away the sweat, and then get him to rest somewhere dark and quiet where he wouldn’t have to force his body to do anything.

Said bathroom was more like an extensive spa resort from what Tetsurou had seen from the several dimensions they’d explored in depth. Different pools, different temperatures, different surfaces. He could be happy with just a shower but his partners were spoiled, both in different ways and for different reasons, but they had mixed what felt like necessities and the end result was an opulent work of art in forest blue and midnight greens, with the occasional silver vein running through the marble. It was gorgeous and he’d been hesitant to even step in the first time he’d been invited in the master’s suite. Now, centuries later, it felt as familiar as the pendant around his neck, as the gently floating island in the middle of the street, as Koutarou’s eyes. 

The marble was warm under his bare feet and tonight, it was only candles. True, the place did have actual lights, but they usually kept it as dark as Tetsurou could handle because of both his partners’ sensitive eyes. Also, atmosphere. He was old-fashioned after all. And plain old, but that was neither here nor there. 

Keiji was still on his two feet though judging by how he was seriously lagging behind, he was too close to a burn out. Literally. He didn’t even open his pretty eyes when Tetsurou pulled his shirt off, or when he slid those tiny, tiny shorts down his endless legs. Pressing a kiss to the inside of one knee, he looked up from where he was kneeling on the floor.

Pale skin and smooth lines. A study of monochrome, with his eyes barely a touch of colour. Or, at least that’s how he was supposed to be. Tonight, even in the deep, almost tangible shadows, he could see the imperfections that marred the work of art that was Keiji’s body. Imperfections, caused by both his nature and what he’d done to it, and by having pushed himself to his limits. Red lines, some looking like light scratches, others – almost like brands, ran up and down his flesh. If he squinted a little, he could make out the separate artificial elements that rested right under the silky skin, and it worried him. For those to be visible… Sliding a hand up and down Keiji’s calf, he felt the heat and the uneven surface that was starting to burn, and any lewd thought he might have had disappeared. 

Dropping a tiny sigh, he got up and led Keiji to one of the smallest pools. Smallest in their bathroom meant simply that one person could be a starfish, two people could be close and three people could be a pile that usually ended too soon because Keiji could use battle strategy to untangle himself from the two of them with military precision and in optimal time. He could be a genius like that.

\- Come on, poppet, in you go. – And then he pushed him on the small of his back for good measure. Keiji exhaled with the kind of dramatic intention Tetsurou had only seen in the soap operas Koutarou loved, and then cocked a hip, glaring at him. Or, trying to glare. The effect was a little lost since he was completely naked, his eyes were closing from the unnatural exhaustion he’d gotten himself into, and he wasn’t really mad.

\- Not your poppet, Tetsu. – The age-old argument. Good thing he knew how to counter it.

\- Sure you are. You are small… - The five centimetre difference wasn’t even that noticeable but he loved to bring it up, just to see Keiji’s face. – and you are my sweetheart. Which makes you… - The other man turned and sunk to the ground to get in the pool. – poppet. 

Keiji hissed from the water, though Tetsurou knew it was warm enough not to be room temperature but nothing more. 

\- I think I fried some nerve endings this time, Tetsu. – The first step to solving a problem… - I’ll have to look into it.

\- Yep, tomorrow. I don’t see anything that looks too urgent. Or, I can ask Kou to run something quick when they come back ? For your peace of mind ? – Keiji just shook his head. 

\- It’s fine. I can tell the difference between a simple burn out and more serious issues. I just don’t like it.

Tetsurou bent down, still in all of his clothes, and pressed a kiss to Keiji’s right shoulder, where he knew there was nothing under the skin that hadn’t gotten there by the natural way. His partner’s body had been a maze and at the beginning, so long ago, he’d been afraid to even touch him of fear that he’d press on the wrong place and hurt him. With the development of the dimensions they travelled to, Keiji’s body changed, too, but here and now, he knew what he was doing.

\- Beautiful. You, - He nosed at his midnight curls, breathing in the soft scent that seemed to be imbedded in his skin. – are so gorgeous you make my heart hurt. And I adore you  
more than my own soul.

\- Not sure if that counts, Tetsu. Considering how you haven’t been anywhere near said soul for more than half a millennium… - The cheeky little…

\- And just for that, I get to wash your hair.

\- Wait, Tet… - He couldn’t finish, mostly because his head was completely under the water. Breaking the surface a second later, Keiji turned clumsily in the slippery pool and glared at him. It would’ve been scary if it wasn’t for the fact that because of his hair’s texture, it tended to go straight when really wet. He looked like, well, like Tetsurou out of a shower and it hadn’t gotten old even after all the centuries he’d been looking at it. Long black strands fell in uneven lengths in his eyes, shiny and wet, kind of resembling seaweed in the low light. Tetsurou couldn’t really help it, not that he tried, but still he was almost crying for laughing so hard. Ah, some things would be funny forever. Keiji’s betrayed expression from under the most scene fringe he’d ever seen…priceless.

\- Done ? – He’d crossed his arms and he was actually tapping his foot. In the pool. Under water. Scary. – Because I was promised a procedure. And you owe me. So, - He waved a little, sprinkling water around. – move it.

\- So bossy, poppet. Careful, you’ll end up ordering me to kiss your toes or something if you keep going like that.

\- What’s the problem? I know you’ll do it in a second. – Tetsurou smirked.

\- And then I will take it out on you the next day. – He leaned forward, lips touching Keiji’s ear. – Are you sure you want to risk it ? Will it be worth it ? – Turning a little, he met his partner’s eyes. He did look a little better, Tetsurou noted.

\- No. – Breathed out on his lips. – But this will. – And then the neck of his shirt was pulled down in a way that left no room for fight, and then he was falling face-first, losing any sense of direction, and then…

Taking a deep breath, he rubbed his eyes and shook his head to get the hair away from his eyes. Which, of course, most definitely didn’t work if Kaiji’s raised eyebrows were a sign. The smug expression was not something he saw often but now the other man was every centimetre the “master of the house” and he knew it.

\- Not fair, love.

\- Well, dove. – Tetsurou almost hissed in response to the pet name. – I never said I’d play fair. You should’ve known.

 

The warm water felt better than Keiji would ever admit. Not only did it balance and even out the temperature of his overheated body, it also gave relief to his joints, both natural and artificial. It felt divine. Not that he’d say it out loud – Tetsurou was already smug enough.

Going under once more, he shook his head and slicked his hair back away from his eyes. Tetsurou was back to his signature smirk with a fringe though there was tenderness on his handsome features that he couldn’t hide completely.

\- Come on, love. Let me take care of you. – Always the one with the endearments. And the things was, he didn’t even think about it, it was just how he showed affection. Keiji…wasn’t like that. If he wasn’t trying to tease, words like that stuck in his throat and refused to see the light of the day, forcing him to seal his lips. It had taken years upon decades, long, exhausting night and the three of them barely making it out alive, for him to be able to speak, to say it out loud. Things had progressed since then, but not much. And now…now it was no time for jokes.

He’d argue, but Tetsurou was in a Mood™ and he didn’t have it in him to disturb it. Breathing in, he let his eyes close and loosened his muscles as much as he could in his current condition. Which brought back to light all the pain, itches and burns that marred his body, and distracted him from the situation he was in, which included a dark room, hot bath and a naked Tetsurou. How unfair of his body.

Leaning back on the marble wall, Keiji kept his eyes closed as the hot humid air filled his lungs, barely registering the light splashes of Tetsurou moving in the water.

\- Here… - The murmur was barely there, but also carefully away from him. Keiji opened his eyes and tried to focus. Tetsurou was looking at him, smirk non-existent, and was obviously waiting for something. After so many years together, both his partners knew how to handle his…quirks. Like not to touch him from behind unless certain procedure had been followed before that. Or, not to get too close to his front if his eyes were closed unless, again, preparations had been done. It was all an intricate dance that should have drained their relationship with its pragmatism and lack of spontaneousness, should have made it dry as a bone and twice as unpleasant. At least that’s what most people said. But there was something so inherently beautiful in the care they showed to each other, the care they showed to him when it came to his nature, that he couldn’t find it in himself to regret even a single bit of metal and magic that was embedded under his skin.

Obviously happy that he was being seen and observed, Tetsurou poured some shampoo in his palm and got closer, still carefully keeping himself in the middle of Keiji’s field of view. It was kind of sweet, really.

Dropping a sigh, Keiji activated the complicated spell that kept everything inside of him going. One by one, he could feel the mechanisms shutting down and leaving only muscle, bone and tendon behind. For a moment, the world was filled with clicks, pops and sizzles he knew almost nobody else could hear, and then it went quiet. He knew, now, that it could take up to several minutes for everything to turn off properly and that rushing things would end badly for him. But he rarely did this, usually, there was no need to go that far. Tonight…tonight he needed to cool down, but he also needed Tetsurou to be safe in doing whatever he wanted. It was a small compromise.

Closing his eyes again, Keiji allowed himself to feel, even if his senses had lost their sharpness and the world turned a little greyer, a little duller, and then…

Long fingers slid through his hair and he couldn’t help it – he flinched. Relying on extra senses always came with a price but this was something he simply had to get used to. Every time. But Tetsurou was gentle. No pressure, he was only petting. Gentle, he was always so gentle, messing up the strands to get the lather and then comb through them to get everywhere. If there was Heaven, he was already there. A rare indulgence, and one not only for Keiji, because Tetsurou had said multiple times that he had just as much fun as him doing that. And who was he to refuse ?

\- Okay, duck. 

\- How romantic. – Keiji almost opened one eye to see if the signature smirk was there, but common sense won and he dropped a dramatic sigh before sinking under the surface. Tetsurou combed through his hair a little more, rinsing him, and Keiji stood back up, sliding a palm up his face. Blinking through the hair, he finally could focus on the other man’s face. And, what a face it was. Even if he was the most human between them, though the definition was loose at best, Tetsurou’s eyes almost glowed green in the low light, showing off his golden skin and high cheekbones. Pretty, so, so pretty. Keiji leaned back and gave his own smirk. Now that he was feeling better, with the mechanisms under his skin having cooled down to a more bearable level, he could feel a different mood rise. 

\- Oh, you want me to be romantic ? Wasn’t this what I was doing ? - A hand slid along his back as Tetsurou pulled him to his chest. Sharp teeth nipped on his shoulder. – Allow me to try again. Poppet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments give me life, drop one and let me know how I'm doing. Or, just come and chat on kenjiro-s.tumblr.com
> 
> A little bit on the pet names :  
> Poppet : Mostly believed to have been used/invented around 1390 AD, it would refer to a dainty person as a form of endearment.  
> Dove : Originates from around 1386 AD and would refer to a gentle, innocent and loving person.


	7. Night 2 : Strange moons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tooru finally sees the hazels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this one dragged more than it should've. A lot of descriptions, but...Enjoy

The sun was peeking over the horizon, three moons graced the sky and Koutarou was happy. He’d checked on the neighbours ( that Tetsurou pretended not to like ), he’d shown Ushijima’s domain to an innocent bystander ( that didn’t appear to mind the almost cuddling ) and was currently taking said bystander to one of his favourite places. And the best thing was, Oikawa seemed so shell shocked, he didn’t even appear to notice they were still holding hands. That was a win in his book.

Now they were walking down the closest to a main street the Crossroad had, buildings, gardens and fences on both sides, and their guest was drinking it all in. While Koutarou was drinking him in. With the dark sweater and stone-washed jeans, the man was more than handsome. Cool, sharp eyes and confident gait blended in the very epitome of someone who knew he was handsome, knew what he wanted and already had a detailed five step plan how to acquire it. Though…

Though what he had seen outside of the house had thrown him for a loop. And he was still in that headspace. Ha, headspace. He’d like to see Keiji put him in a different one. But that was neither here nor there. Oikawa was still wearing almost childish curiousity and wonder on his face and Koutarou thought it suited him better than the haughty expression he slid on when in defense. His eyes were currently bright and shining, gentle wind messing his dark hair, and he was almost glowing in the dying light of the day. 

Koutarou wanted to touch. It wasn’t even a sexual thing, he knew how those felt. No, his high cheekbones just seemed so…smooth. And flushed from the descending frost of the night. Better move faster. Not that he’d let anything happen to Oikawa, but the man would probably appreciate the warmth of the grotto. So he let go of the wrist he was holding, laced their fingers together and led the way.

 

Once the sheer surrealism had worn off, all that was left for Tooru was to gawk at his surroundings. It was just so…colourful ! Everything, from the houses, including the one that had been just a tiny shack in the middle of a suspiciously barren field, to the rocks that marked the road. It was all in muted but still unnatural colours, and he loved it. The sky had gone a deep, dark red and he counted three…moons ? Whatever. Night had come fast and while he could feel some chill down his back, but Bokuto was still taking him somewhere. The man gone quiet though it felt comfortable and Tooru had only half a thought about going to strange places with strange people. Things couldn’t get stranger than that house anyway.

After a while, he noticed there were no more house or house-shaped things along the road. Just even ground and a little forest, if it could be called that. The trees were tall, with the distinct triangle shape of pine but when they got closer, he saw the branches dipped down like willows. Nope, not weird at all. 

\- Here. – Bokuto pulled him right in the middle of the forest, pushing a few low branches to the side.

\- Bokuto, there is nothing…Oh. – The floating island should had been a giveaway, but Tooru had, for whatever reason, been convinced law of physics should had worked at least a little. No such luck. What had looked like a tiny, transparent clutch of weird trees, turned out to be a whole oasis shrouded in darkness. The river was tinged blue (wow, something normal who would’ve thought) and is otherwise crystal clear. The lake had dug itself in a sharp black beach and he was sure that if he took off his shoes, his toes would paint the water red. Even through his shoes, the only piece of clothing that was truly his, he could feel the tips try to cut his skin like glass shards. Looking up, he saw that while the trees were the same as from outside, they were much, much taller, obscuring the sky…if there even was sky here. One could never know. 

The reason he could see all that, though were the considerably shorter trees. Twisted branches that rose from every part of the tree, including from the ground around it, dripped with tiny yellow blooms that emitted a soft warm glow that lit the cave where the water came from. They were everywhere. Not only in the barely-there soil scattered on the shiny rocks, but also in whatever nooks and crannies they had found in the black wall of what appeared to be the side of a mountain. Some of them, he squatted, were even inside the cave, bathing the vertical walls in their light and almost calling for him. Only the freezing fear of absolutely everything in this place rooted him and stopped him from taking a dive and reaching for the shiny things.

\- Lovely, aren’t they ? – Tooru glanced up. Bokuto had taken his sweatshirt off and was currently stretching only in his thin t-shirt, showing off his muscles without even a touch of shame. Not that there was something to be ashamed about… And his golden eyes were brighter than the flowers. Tooru was entranced. – Come on, we can get a little closer.

With the muted glow embracing them, Tooru feels like they are the only people in the world. Bokuto was holding his hand, fingers laced together, and he had no memory of doing that but, well, he couldn’t complain, not now.

Carefully stepping around the highest points, Tooru followed until they stopped only a few steps away from the closest branches. It wasn’t not the blooms themselves that glowed, he realised. It was some sort of pollen they were constantly dripping, that glowed for a few seconds before disappearing in the night. 

It took Bokuto softly grasping his free wrist for him to realise he was reaching towards the blooms. The other man almost manhandled him to get him to step back and then tugged him to the smoothest part of the shiny black bank. And then down.

The rock was warm, warmer than expected, and mirror-smooth. Tooru clicked on it a couple of times with a nail and it made a weirdly hollow sound that honestly was making him uncomfortable.

\- I thought we could sit here, enjoy the scenery. Usually, I’m alone. – That was surprising.

\- Kuroo obviously doesn’t like them but what about Akaashi…?

\- Keiji’s allergic to the water. Gets pretty gross if he touches it. The skin grows back in a few hours but he says it itches like crazy. – Slowly turning to the clear water, Tooru tried to pull himself back and sit further from it. One never knew, and finding out he was allergic by having his skin fall off was not something he wanted to experience. Ever. Bokuto, on the other hand, was observing him with a little smirk. – It’s fine, with him, it’s genetic. I think his dad got cursed some centuries ago and it stuck through the generations. Oikawa… - He looked back up. Bokuto was studying him with a calm but focused expression and he didn’t know what to expect. – Look, I know you didn’t choose to be here or to be in that situation as a whole, but believe me when I say we’re doing our best to help you. It might not seem like a lot but in the light of the current events we can’t reverse what was done. We can’t bring your life back. Trust me, we would if we could. Being ripped apart from everything you know and love hurts worse than anything, I know…

\- It’s fine. – It wasn’t, not really.

\- It’s not ! – He was almost on his feet, waving around like it would help his point. – That’s what I mean ! It sucks and we want to help but we can’t so it sucks even more! And it’s obviously upsetting you and I get it, but there’s nothing we can do and this is not an excuse, by the way, I am not trying to say we’re not to blame, because we clearly are, but we are trying to get you to feel better… 

\- Bokuto. – His old captain voice still worked, even after years of not using it. Good to know. – It’s done. For better or worse, - He shrugged. – I’m here. And unless there are some strong mushrooms involved, I don’t exactly have a choice but to accept it all. Now, tell me about the hazels.

\- The hazels ? – The other man looked around, slowly, like he was seeing the place for the first time. – The hazels. Yeah. Well, Keiji doesn’t like coming here because of the water and Tetsu says the trees hate him. – Bokuto waved a little in the general direction of the glowing branches. – I think it’s space dust, he swears the local flora just wants to murder him. Which sucks for him since he’s the one who needs it.

\- What do you mean ? – It was part curiousity, but also because for whatever reason Tooru could see Bokuto was more upset than him about the current situation. And since they were in what he considered a hostile environment, he needed the one person who knew what was going on stable and calm. Clear-headed. 

\- Well, you know ? Keiji invents stuff, I make models, Tetsu deals with potions and all ? I mean, we all help each other, but that’s mainly what we do ? – Since that was the first time he was hearing that, Tooru didn’t “know”. But he still nodded and waited for the other man to continue. But Bokuto just shrugged again and went quiet. That was not good.

\- How did the three of you meet ? – Apparently, that was the right question because Bokuto’s face lit up like he’d just sneezed out a whole handful of the glowy hazel dust. Gold eyes twinkling, he sighed with what was obviously happiness and leaned back on his elbows, Tooru sitting beside him and looking at his relaxed figure.

\- Now that’s a long story. You sure you’re up for it ? – Tooru just waited patiently. – Okay, here we go…

 

\- Me ‘n Keiji met first. It took years before we saw Tetsu for the first time. Ah, memories…Anyways, I used to be an enforcer. It’s like… - He stopped for a moment, obviously looking for the right words. – A mix between a policeman and a bodyguard ? Well, my team ended up in a trap once and I barely survived but got separated. He saved me and we’ve been together since then. – Bokuto breathed out softly, eyes still stroking the shimmering water. – Later, when we met Tetsu, he just fit with us, so we took him home. – Laughing quietly, so unlike himself for what Tooru had become to expect after their short time together, the other man reached up and pointed at the sliver of sky above their heads. – That over there is the Praying Mantis.

Out of habit, Tooru followed the finger but all he saw was a yellowish rock that vaguely resembled a pyramid, floating in the night sky. It looked like a realistic drawing of a  
cartoon cheese and he definitely didn’t like it. Still, politeness and morbid curiousity won and he just had to ask.

\- The praying mantis ?

\- Yep. On certain nights it moves in a way that resembles an insect. You can tell it’s that time of the month, because Tetsu doesn’t look up for days. It’s kind of funny, to be  
honest.  
Tooru most definitely did not want to know. Or see. Or even imagine.

\- It vibrates and opens and… - And Tooru just knew what would haunt his dreams for the next weeks or so. A piece of cheese in the sky opening like one of those puzzle boxes,  
turning into a giant insect and crawling towards him. Ugh. Extremely disgusting. He shuddered.

\- Okay ! How about you tell me why Kuroo doesn’t like the trees ? – Tooru took pride in not being stupid, it was one of the things he just knew about himself, and him not being stupid told him right now that Bokuto had glossed over all the important parts about his meetings with Akaashi and Kuroo in the same way he’d lied Daishou. It stung a little, especially since all three of them insisted that he just had to trust them, but maybe whatever had happened long time ago carried painful memories ? Whatever. He was too busy not imagining a giant insect so questions it was.

\- They are carnivorous. – He knew he was blinking mutely but there was nothing he could do. 

\- I’m sorry, did you just say the trees are…

\- They eat meat. That’s what “carnivorous”…

\- I know what it means ! – He didn’t mean to snap but in his defense that was too much nightmare fuel, Hell, it was a whole Nightmare Factory, and he wasn’t sure if running away shrieking in the night would solve something but the idea was getting more and more tempting by the second.

\- Well, if you’re not careful, they reach overs and grab you. They got thorns and venom, and pollen that burrows and hatches in your lungs...

\- Pollen doesn’t…hatch. – That was all he could mutter. Desperately trying to stop the images filling his head, he shook his head.

\- This one does. But, yeah, there are ways to collect materials from them but for some reason they react to Tetsu much faster than to everyone else. It’s actually really interesting to watch ! He shows off his agility every time. He’s quite beautiful in the heat of the fight, even if he faces a plant…He’s just… - Bokuto sighed and smiled softly. – Beautiful.

And all Tooru could think, eyes glued to the man next to him, with his strange hair and bright eyes, and huge heart and even bigger smile, was…

“So are you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading ! Drop a kudos or comment to let me know how I'd doing or come and chat about your rare ships on kenjiro-s.tumblr.com


	8. Night 2.2 : Soft Carpets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So, maybe Tooru had heard Bokuto wrong. Probably. He was, probably not meant to see what he’d just witnessed. Obviously. But the living, breathing picture in front of him was more than pornography, more than eroticism. It was…beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter that changes the tag to Explicit. Sexual content, +18 only.

Things were progressing rather nicely, Tetsurou thought. Extremely nicely, especially with Keiji’s lovely back on display all for him. Kneeling on the plush carpet, face on the floor and spine in an almost impossible curve, the low light painted stories in the dips and valleys of his body. A living, breathing work of art that Tetsurou thought deserved worship. Which was what he was doing. A slightly different kind of worship, but still. He almost laughed. Thinking of himself as too lewd when one of the men who held his heart was naked and spread in front of him was a bit hypocritical. 

Reaching, he watched his own hand throw a trembling shadow over satin skin, petting without touching, nothing more than a whisper of displaced air above the curve of one hip. Keiji stretched like a cat, hands straight in front of him, spine dipping even lower, and Tetsurou could swear he heard it pop. Lazy, smooth and slow, every movement was meant to display him in the best way possible but also make it clear he wanted to be pampered. Keiji was not in the mood to work for anything and was begging to be spoilt. Tetsurou grinned in the dim room. The sacrifices he had to make for his partners occasionally…

He guessed it was a mix between the hot bath and turning all the machines off. Tetsurou knew that while he didn’t really get tired from them working all the time, Keiji still felt exhausted and lazy when he decided to shut them down. Keiji thought it was his nervous system reacting in some way and was always looking for ways to counter it while Tetsurou simply called it “placebo”. But it kept his partner entertained and had led to some pretty useful discoveries in the past. And, of course, it left Keiji in the languid, boneless mood he was displaying right now and Tetsurou could most definitely not complain about that.

Sliding both hands around the dimples on the small of Keiji’s back, Tetsurou petted down, making the touch firmer and firmer with every moment that passed. Up his back to where faint lines showed off the first incisions that had started everything, all the way to his shoulders, and then back. Only this time, he didn’t stop at his hipbones, going even lower instead. Straight from the bath, Keiji’s skin still carried the scent of honey of their soaps and, beneath that, if he pressed his nose just like that, he could catch the barest hint of gasoline and fire. A distinct chemical scent that usually would repulse him, especially on the naked flesh of his lover, but on Keiji, it was addictive. He licked a long stripe up the muscle of Keiji’s buttock and then, for good measure, nipped and the soft skin where hip met thigh. Keiji’s leg twitched, reflexes no longer calmed down by wires and clockwork, and then calmed down. It made him want to push more, see what else he could get him to do.

But not now. Now, he needed touch, reassurance that the situation wasn’t as bad as it seemed. That touch was still allowed and it was okay and Keiji cared. He needed his partner.

Rubbing the flesh in front of him with deep even movements, Tetsurou pressed with his fingers and saw more than heard Keiji sigh and drop even more to the plush carpet. A sight as beautiful as always but it was time to take it a step further.

Now moving with more purpose that just to pet, Tetsurou slid a little forward on his knees between Keiji’s ankles and pushed out, forcing his partner to spread his legs. Ah, there it was. One of the best guarded enigmas of Keiji’s body. More intimate than anything, it was the only secret only him and Kou were privy to. Tetsurou felt his smirk soften. And he appreciated the honour more than Keiji could even imagine.

Still kneading the supple skin covering tight muscles, Tetsurou moved with a little more purpose and spread the flesh in his hands. Keiji’s flesh was completely dry, the warmth in the room not enough to make him sweat, not that Tetsurou would rely only on that, and the shadows moved and dripped like ink. Or blood. From his high vantage point he could see every deep breath that ran under Keiji’s ribs, every twitch and tremor, he could swear he almost saw every heartbeat. A beautiful creature, indeed.

Bowing down, he didn’t give him any sign and just licked again, this time from the base of his cock all the way to his tailbone. Keiji keened. The high sound sounded like it had been dragged through a bleeding throat and Tetsurou felt drunk on it. That was what Keiji being lost sounded. And he needed to hear it all.

Holding the suddenly squirming hips tight, Tetsurou bit lightly, just a little nip, not enough to even leave a mark, but the skin was impossibly soft and warm he couldn’t resist. The body in his hands stilled and he felt Keiji drop back to the floor. 

Kissing lightly the heated flesh, he slid a fingertip down Keiji’s length and felt he was more than in the right mood. His excitement dripping on the floor, slick on Tetsurou’s hand as he stroked slowly, was telling him as much as the short hiccupping breaths he could see. Keiji would take control over his own body soon, he almost always did, but for now, he was all his.

Delving deeper with his tongue, Tetsurou parted the flesh even more with his free hand. Keiji was more than tight, he’d always been and nothing they had done had gotten him to be relaxed from the beginning. But it was better that way, Tetsurou thought as he kissed as deeply as he could. Like that, he could take his time and unravel his lover as slowly as he wanted. 

Still keeping a firm hold on his partner’s body, Tetsurou released Keiji’s dripping length and allowed himself a second to revel in the whine that dropped from Keiji’s lips. Beautiful. Reaching blindly with the same hand, because he wouldn’t move his lips from the finally relaxing ring of muscles for anything less than the Apocalypse, Tetsurou managed to find the plastic bottle he’d haphazardly thrown on the floor a few minutes ago. Touch was a vital sense when hand-to-eye coordination was often impossible, especially when one had two partners, one bed and too many body parts in too little space. It had taken some getting used to and some interesting skill development, but he’d finally gotten the hang of it. Now, nipping right beside the twitching hole in front of him for good measure, he pulled the cap open with his teeth and poured some of the clear, lightly scented lubricant over Keiji’s skin.

Now came the delicate part. Not that the rimming didn’t require his entire focus, but this was different. Pressing lightly with the tip of his thumb, Tetsurou exhaled softly, feeling Keiji move a little. He knew, now, that was equal parts from the invasion of his body and the feeling of connection on the most basic level. Keiji was a strange one, Tetsurou would be the first to admit it, but sometimes, in moments like this, he was simply one of the most precious things Tetsurou had ever laid his eyes upon.

Slow, he had to go as slow as possible and then some, because Keiji was tense like a spring. Thumb in his lover to the first knuckle, Tetsurou rubbed circles on his hip with his free hand. 

\- Okay ? – Keiji threw his head back, drying curls bouncing and kissing his shoulders and exhaled. Loudly. Tetsurou just waited. Unlike when they were playing seriously, here he wouldn’t try to guess and push harder until told to stop. Here, the dynamic was different. His lover took a few deep breaths, pressed his forehead back to the floor and whispered something. – Keiji ? – Because if he wasn’t sure what he’d heard, he wouldn’t proceed.

\- I said, keep going. I’m fine. We’ve been doing this for years, why… - He was getting distressed and Tetsurou couldn’t allow that.

\- Hey. – His palm went up and down his back trying to warm the cooling flesh. – It’s okay. Nothing wrong with being a little more sensitive. Makes it even better when you finally give yourself to me. To us. I can only hope it’s as good for you as it is for me and Kou.

\- It’s good ! – Frustration clear in his voice, Keiji still kept his head down. This…was different and Tetsurou decided to play it safely. Sliding his thumb out of his lover as carefully as possible, he rubbed the slightly pink flesh to soothe any lingering burn or discomfort. – Tetsu, you don’t have to stop. 

\- Shush now. We can always pick up from where we stopped. Even if I’m ten years dead and under, I’d still get it up for you, don’t worry. – Keiji’s entire body stilled for a moment and then dropped on the floor on his stomach in an almost liquid puddle of pale flesh and dark hair.

\- That…for some reason was one of the grossest things you’ve said in the bedroom. Ever. Don’t ask me how, but you did it.

\- If we have to stop in the middle of sex to talk about boundaries, you can bet we will. Even if I’m half a second from creaming your lovely thighs, I will stop, okay ? And if I…

\- Tetsu ! – He stopped. Keiji was still on his stomach on the floor though his face was to him, and the expression on said face was soft, though the order in the shape of his name had been more than firm. - I know. That’s one of the reasons I love you. But this time, you didn’t have to stop just because I need time. – He sighed again, propping his chin on his palm, still twisted to look over his own shoulder. – I’m not some delicate flower that’s going to break from the lightest touch.

\- Yeah, I get it, but…Hurting you, especially in that way…I can’t even think about that. – Keiji snorted, held his eyes for a moment and then fell on the carpet, face-first, peals of laughter ringing through the room. – Hey, don’t laugh. I’m being serious here.

Still breathless, body shaking with quieting giggles, Keiji rubbed his face.

\- Then don’t, kittycat. Think about it, that’s it. I want it, I want you, and even if my body still refuses to make it easy for everyone, well, we’ll just have to soldier through it.

\- You mean, you’ll have to soldier through it. – Keiji shrugged.

\- Sometimes I feel like while I feel some discomfort, you and Kou are the ones that get traumatized every time I bottom. Calm down, Tetsu. I know you’d stop if I ask you. It’s happened. I’ll tell you if I need you to do or not do something. I don’t know how many times to say it.

\- I just… - Tetsurou carded a hand through his own messy hair, pulling it back from his face with a little more force than necessary.

\- I know. – A warm hand wrapped around his and pulled it away from the strand he had a death grip on. – Come on, let go. I like your hair, don’t pull it all out. Now, where were we ?

 

Not for the first and, probably, last time Keiji cursed his own faulty biology. Situations like that happened way too often and he still, after decades and centuries, hadn’t found a way to get it through his partners’ thick skulls that he was more than fine, could take some discomfort and if things really went sideways, could make them stop, one way or another. But no, they had to stop at every little twitch and sigh just to make sure he was fine. Not that he didn’t appreciate it but when every time he decided to bottom they took way too long, it got on his nerves. And he couldn’t even be mad at them because if the positions were reversed, literally, he’d do the same. Thousands of moons, he did the same. But when it happened every. Single. Time...

Sometimes, he entertained the idea of going to his parents, who had started working on his body since before he could speak, and ask them how to fix it. Of course, that would require him standing before the three of them and tell them, looking them in the eyes, that he had problems in his sexual life, and that would be way too much even for him. Even if they’d caught him and Koutarou, and then, later, him, Koutarou and Tetsurou, in the worst compromising positions, and teased him about it, he’d decided to be an adult and completely ignore it. Almost nothing could be worse than getting The Talk when he was almost a millennium old though sometimes, when he saw how bothered his lovers were by his involuntary reactions, he seriously considered it.

Turning carefully to sit on the floor, he pulled his knees to his chest and stared at Tetsurou who looked more than a little lost and confused. Keiji closed his eyes for a moment and then reached blindly. His hand was wrapped in long fingers, slightly cooler than his, and he pulled, dragging Tetsurou to him. Having no other choice, his lover followed, still on his knees, until they touched the tips of Keiji’s bare feet. With Tetsurou completely covered and him naked, the power shift in the room should had been more than obvious and yet after so long together, details like this were nothing more than decoration.

\- How about you kiss me and we can start from there ? – Gold-green eyes met his and a tiny, hesitant smile graced his lover’s lips. Only for a second, because then those same lips were pressing into his and all he could do was wrap an arm around Tetsurou’s neck and hold tight.

Luckily, he got the hint. The pecks were getting harder and then, finally, Tetsurou parted his lips to ask for peremission. Which Keiji had given long time ago. Cool tongue slipped in his mouth, lips fusing to his and when he tried to breathe, he realised he was caged by an arm around his waist. Much better.

Tetsurou pressed further, his entire body moving forward and Keiji had no choice but to part his legs and let him in, not that not doing it had even crossed his mind. His lover pulled him with one arm and leaned on the other hand so Keiji was almost hanging on his neck in an odd unbalanced position, and Tetsurou kept devouring him. Good thing his core muscles were strong enough.

Suddenly, his lover pulled back and Keiji took a deep breath, which Tetsurou had obviously been waiting for since he took the opportunity to get on his elbows and press Keiji to the floor, their entire bodies flush to each other. Oh, he liked that. Hooking up one leg high over Tetsurou’s hips, going all the way to the small of his back, Keiji smirked at his lover’s reaction to his flexibility. Tetsurou ground against him, slow and hard, and he almost embarrassed himself there and then. The rough denim rubbing on his cock was driving him crazy and it felt like overstimulation even if he hadn’t been going for that long. 

Tetsurou was hot there, hotter than his normal body temperature, and Keiji was half-tempted to turn all his bits and pieces back on just be able to experience him in his full glory. But it had been a long day and safe was better than sorry. Dropping a tiny sigh against his lover’s shoulder, he mouther at the slick skin, nibbling here and there. Unlike his lovers he wasn’t one to bite deep and hard, but this…this was something he enjoyed very much. Also, he couldn’t exactly focus on not going too deep in the flesh when Tetsurou was still very purposefully grinding on him right on the verge of pain.

\- Tetsu… - His lover raised his head from where he’d been sucking a bruise behind his ear and blinked at him. Pupils blown wide and tan cheekbones flushed deep crimson, Tetsurou was the epitome of seduction. The sin of Lust in his own hands. – Come on…

He knew he was whining but he also knew that if Tetsurou didn’t do something in the next 30 seconds, he’d finish all by himself, completely untouched. Fortunately, his lover got the hint and raised himself a little, searching for the bottle of lube.

\- I am ready… - He wasn’t sure if it was the truth, but if he had to wait for Tetsurou to go through the whole slow procedure again, he considered finishing himself off with his own hand, flipping them over and then jumping Tetsurou.

\- You’re not. – He hissed with something that resembled annoyance and tried to pry the cap open with his teeth again. – Give me…Shit, why is this thing so tight ?

Propping himself up on his elbows, Keiji tried not to laugh.

\- You’re the one who closed it two minutes ago, dove. – He got a glare that might had been scary if Tetsurou wasn’t still flushed and sweaty from their make out session. Instead, he just looked pouty. Which, if Keiji had to be honest with himself, was a pretty good look on him.

\- Yeah, I know but… - His sentence was cut by a delighted exclamation. – Okay, back down you go.

With an overly dramatic sigh, Keiji made a show of lying back on the carpet and making himself comfortable. Said show was cut short because Tetsurou dropped any ceremony, grabbed his leg under the knee and pulled it up and behind his back forcing them in their previous position. And Keii couldn’t help it, he giggled again. The whole situation was too ridiculous.

\- You know, if this didn’t happen way too often, I’d be insulted that my naked lover is laughing like an idiot from under me.

\- That’s not a good argument – Keiji could barely breathe from the giggles and he felt tears go down his cheeks when Tetsurou realised what he’d just said. Oh, that was way too much fun.

\- How about I make you… - There was no warning, just laughter and suddenly, he felt a single digit enter his body. The giggles were cut short, followed by a cry he couldn’t stop even if he tried. Probably an index finger, since it was narrower than before. 

Tetsurou pulled a little more back to watch his own hand. Squeezing more lubricant, he pulled said hand back and then back in. The finger went what felt like much further than before and when he tried to insert another, Keiji felt the terrible moment stretch. 

It wouldn’t fit. His body tensed on reflex and his muscles locked. One finger was in, only the pad, he knew it, but two would be too much. The stretch felt terrible, like something tender and important would tear open and his breath froze in his chest.

Only for a second. Then rational thought kicked back in and he tried to breathe.

\- That’s it, baby. You’re doing so well. Just relax… - He was almost crooning in the low light, eyes still dark with desire and Keiji couldn’t look away. His intense focus because he simply didn’t want to hurt him was amazing and when he felt his body give, Keiji let out a relieved breath. He really had to do something about that.

After that initial moment, two fingers slipped in easy, he could tell, because Tetsurou was always more than generous with the lube and knew how to work his fingers. Deeper, deeper, Keiji felt himself bend his back and move his hips, not even sure if he was pressing closer or running away. But his lover understood and just held him still.

Stars behind eyelids he didn’t remember closing and Tetsurou’s delighter “Aha !” blended in an extended whine that felt ripped from his chest. It was too good and with his lover sliding what he could swear were three fingers over than one spot that made everything blur, he wouldn’t last long.

\- Tets… - He couldn’t even finish his name with the sharp bite of pleasure that lit his nerves on fire.

\- I know. You ready for me ?

\- You… - Keiji choked on his own breath when Tetsurou pulled his hand back and spread him open with the pads of his fingers. He’d seen that on both his lovers, knew how vulgar, but at the same time, incredible, view his loose twitching hole would be. – You sound like a low quality porn actor.

\- I should practice to be more like the higher paid ones, then ? Is that what you’re saying ?

\- Now is not… - The breath left his lunds with a low sound. Tetsurou was thicker than the fingers, more even that three of them at the same time, and his body refused him for a moment. But instead of stopping again, he just kept going, pressing in, fingers digging in his hip where he was holding Keiji’s leg hiked up, and carefully sliding his fingers up and down Keiji’s length. 

\- Come on, poppet. – And he leaned in, eyes filling Keiji’s field of view. – Let me in.

The moment felt suspended in time, stretched endlessly in a sea of tension, agony and searing pleasure, and then…

His entire body tightened for half a second when he felt his lover slip past his rim, and then…Then it got really good.

Tetsurou started slow, he always did, filling him more and more with each thrust, movements smooth and easy. All Keiji could do was lie down, take it and try to move a little.

\- That’s it, poppet. Moons, you are so beautiful... – Lips found his again and Tetsurou breathed out, filling his lungs with his own air, almost sharing a heartbeat. Tetsurou leaned forward again until Keiji was flat on the floor, his lover’s muscled body completely covering his. He was getting drunk on sensations, from the pulsating stretch inside, through the fingers probably bruising his hip, all the way to the words kissed in on the shell of his ear.

Back..and forth. Tetsurou barely moved, rocking lightly and rubbing against that sweet, sweet spot every time. It ran through his nerves like electricity and lit him like fire. He needed to hold on…something.

Reaching up with one hand, he buried his fingers in Tetsurou’s still wet hair, messing the long strands and holding tight. His other hand found a muscled buttock and dug in. There’d be black and blue marks there tomorrow, Keiji knew it, and it made him hold on even tighter. 

Tetsurou groaned and nipped on his lip in retribution, dragging sharp teeth and pulling, sucking the tender flesh in his mouth. 

\- Rude, poppet. And here I was being nice and telling you how heartbreakingly beautiful you are. Which, make no mistake, you are. – The last was breathed out on his neck and Keiji felt his lover shift. He couldn’t see what Tetsurou was doing but his body moved a little, adjusted the angle and… - Hope you’re ready. – That couldn’t be g…

Keiji screamed, spine arching off the floor. Using both knees as leverage, Tetsurou had lifted his hips off the floor, holding him with both hands, and was pounding into him, using every bit of strength he’d collected during the years. 

\- Too much, babe ? – It wasn’t a really a question, not like before. Tetsurou wasn’t looking for an answer which was good because he wasn’t getting anything from him, not right now. Now, Keiji was too busy falling apart and clawing up his lover’s back to be able to string words together.

Tetsurou was rough, the fast pistoning of his hips spreading Keiji’s flesh without mercy and the teeth on his neck just made him fly even higher. He could feel every ridge and vein, every curve on his lover’s body, every hushed breath and the sweat making them both slide against each other. There was nothing and nobody else in the world but them, bodies intertwined until he couldn’t tell where he ended and Tetsurou began, and Keiji knew he was speaking, screaming, but he had no idea what. His throat was going sore and yet Tetsurou kept going. And then…

He reached the summit…and dropped. Tetsurou knew when it happened, of course, and pushed in, as far as he could go, holding him tight in the uncomfortable position of hanging above the floor. Keiji felt his own pleasure paint his chest, hotter than Tetsurou’s flesh and slicking them up even more. His mind gone white, he rode the wave, squeezing as tight as he could to the body above his, muscles locked and jaw gone slack. It was…gorgeous. 

When the breath he’d been holding finally left his lips, he felt his very bones go loose…And Tetsurou started again. Keiji’s stomach tightened on reflex, overstimulation burning through his muscles, that soft spot in him feeling almost bruised and on the wrong side of pain. His opening felt just as painful, every easy drag of his lover’s flesh rubbing him the wrong way He squirmed, trying to pull away, to push Tetsurou’s chest, and he stopped.

\- Babe ? – Keiji decided against opening his eyes and focused on his own body. Things were sore but nothing he hadn’t felt before. Bruises would probably form but, again, there would be nobody to see. And even if there was…So what ? His entrance hurt and he’d walk funny tomorrow, but…After the few seconds he’d had to collect his scattered brain from the floor where it had fallen out, he petted Tetsurou’s shoulder and nodded a little. – You sure ? – Sweet, sweet man. Keiji was, indeed, lucky.

Taking this as enough of a confirmation, Tetsurou started again, only this time lifting him bodily even more and invading his mouth. One of his hands snaked under Keiji’s waist and he pressed him even closer, until they were slippery and sticky and their hearbeats mixed. Keeping it deep, not even moving back, Tetsurou almost screamed his release, only Keiji’s lips keeping him silent. Feeling the scorching heat of his lover’s peak, all he could think was…That was going to be hell to get out of the carpet.

 

Okay. So, maybe Tooru had heard Bokuto wrong. Probably. He was, probably not meant to see what he’d just witnessed. Obviously. But the living, breathing picture in front of him was more than pornography, more than eroticism. It was…beautiful. Akaashi’s pale skin almost glowing on the background of Kuroo’s tanned back. Their dark locks mixing together, heavy pants obscuring any other sound. And, apparently, Akaashi was the little spoon. Huh. Stepping back as quietly as possible, Tooru closed the door and went back downstairs. Next time, he’d ask for more directions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time writing such a graphic scene. How was it ?


	9. Night 2.3 : Cold floors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- Where are we going ?   
>  \- You are going upstairs. No offence, but I don’t want you wandering around considering how much of a maze this part of the house is. If you go up this way,you’ll end up in an area of the house you’re familiar with.   
>  \- Then what was the whole thing with coming down here ?  
>  \- For effect, of course. I need you in awe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still going, still trying. Thank you for reading.

Eating muesli in the middle of the night was not something Tooru thought he’d do in another dimension, after seeing glowing hazel trees and two of his hosts having sex. But, life often went in odd directions so there he was, one elbow on the counter, stirring the milk in the giant mug in front of him. Bokuto had gone…somewhere to look for a particular size wire and Tooru had helped himself to the impressively diverse cereal collection in one of the cabinets.

\- Hey. – He dropped his spoon, flinching at the noise. With the corner of his eye he saw Akaashi come from behind him, towel on his head. He looked human like this, in a t-shirt obviously not his, big, owl-shaped slippers and really short shorts. But all he could see was the image from only an hour earlier, of tangled sweaty bodies in low light, a picture of love and debauchery, and unleashed desires. Of thirst being satiated. This man appeared too ordinary to had been part of it. 

\- Hey. – Smiling lightly, Tooru went back to stirring. – Nice slippers.

That got him the reaction he wanted. Akaashi sighed, rubbed his head with the towel a little more and hung it around his neck. Oh. Oh, no. No, that was bad. Tooru snorted. Tried to hold it. Failed. Hiccupped, feeling his chest compress. Snorted again. Tried to stop. Failed. And almost drowned himself in a mug of warm cashew milk. 

Laughing so hard he just knew tears were going down his face, Tooru couldn’t do anything. He tried to at least breathe but that turned out to be tough because he was too busy cackling. The gorgeous Akaashi Keiji, with his royal stance and fine features, had the worst drying hairstyle Tooru had seen, including in his nightmares. The man’s dark hair was just too curly, apparently, because it stuck in every direction like springs and while when it lay down the effect was retro, a little Victorian and fully sophisticated, this… this looked like he’d licked a power outlet. It was just too much and he still couldn’t calm himself.

\- Done ? – He knew that in a regular situation, that look paired with those eyes would get him, well, not to do what he’d been told, but to take the other man seriously. But this was no regular situation and no matter how cool his pale eyes were, the hair ruined the whole effect.

\- Sorry…

\- No, you’re not. – Cold. Tooru straightened from the counter he’s been laying on.

\- My, aren’t we perceptive. – He’d gotten the hang of both Kuroo and Bokuto, at least to some extent. But Akaashi was still an unknown variable.

\- Of course. Now, how would you feel about playing the role of a rubber ducky ? – He almost asked the other man what he’d been smoking or if the good sex had gone to his head, but something deep in his memory tried to surface.

\- Sure. I’m always open to new knowledge. – Akaashi raised his eyebrows. Ah, he’d surprised him. Good.

\- You know what I want from you ?

\- I study as… - He stopped. Because he didn’t anymore, did he ? Swallowing, because that was a thought for another time, he made sure his polite slime was still in place. – I used to study astronomy. I know the Rubber Ducky Methodology. 

\- Good. You’re simplifying my life so much. Come on, I’ll show you my office. Oh, and feel free to get your food. I am not using delicate materials today. 

Following down a spacious, open hallway, Tooru kept looking at the windows that lined the wall like an old European mansion. The sky way still unsettling red and he could swear he could see the cheese moon shudder. Okay, even if it was just his imagination, he didn’t want to catch even a hint of that thing turning into a giant insect. Definitely not.

They went down a skeleton of a metal staircase, thin horizontal bars barely hinting of the shape of stairs, and Tooru had to hold tightly to the simple rings hammered in the crumbling spongy wall. The very air was humid and tasted of something disgustingly sweet. It coated his tongue and slid down his throat, making him swallow on reflex. His mouth was watering in that specific way which, as a child, had always meant his father had to pull over and open the car door. Where were they going ?

The only light in the hallway, if it could even be called that, came from the bare industrial lightbulbs that hung without rhyme or reason on seemingly haphazard heights on the walls. It was almost too much, except it was too poorly made to be an effect – he would bet it was really thrown together, maybe planned to be fixed and kind of left like that because it worked. 

Still, the lower they got, the slippery the metal became and the more he, well, not really worried, because as Akaashi had said, if they’d wanted him dead, he’d be dead, but a little disturbed. Akaashi’s footsteps were getting lost in the creaks and clanks of the stairs and Tooru really hoped it was made to hold two grown men because he could swear he felt the whole thing move and swing under his feet. 

A few minutes later, he finally paid enough attention to his surroundings to see that the lightbulbs were no longer attached to the walls and instead were hanging from the steel bannisters. He couldn’t even see the walls.

\- Scared ? – Standing a few steps down, hand loosely touching the metal fence, Akaashi was smiling lightly in a way that led Tooru to think he had fallen in a trap of sorts. It was not a smile that bode well for him.

\- Do I have a reason to be ? – He snorted and side stepped around the other man. – Tell me your office’s warmer. I’m freezing.

\- Sure. Actually, we’re here. – Akaashi waved a little seemingly in the empty darkness and a lit square slowly appeared on the floor. It was a heavy lid that, unless Tooru was mistaken, was being held closed only by a rusty padlock with a three-digit combination. Which his host didn’t even use, rattling the old thing until it popped open by itself and   
dropped with a crash.

\- Is this your sex dungeon ? Because, if it is, show some respect for your slaves, Akaashi. – The other man just gave him a tiny smile and jumped down the open hole. Tooru had no choice but to follow. Especially since, he glanced back, all the lights on the stairs had gone out. 

The wall turned out to be rather low and when he sat of the edge, it was a sort fall down. The light gradually increased to a tolerable level, never reaching full brightness but making it easy on the eyes.

\- I’ll keep it bright for you. – That was bright ? Going down three more steps, they turned left and the scenery changed. The lights were much more modern, hidden and sleek, with panels lining the walls. And while the almost harsh atmosphere should had been cold, the floor looked like real wood and the colours were warm, in various shades of yellowy orange. – And my sex dungeon is much easier to access. It’s tough getting someone down those steps when they’re blindfolded, leashed and crawling on their knees. – A slight shrug. – Common sense. Actually, I just realised… - They went through a wide square doorway and Tooru looked around. It was a lab. Huge screens with graphs, equations and microscopic images glowed faintly and a few had the classic pipe screensaver running through them. Through all of them, it looked like one giant game of Snake that covered every wall. – That’s the first time I’m hearing my name from you. Pretty.

\- What is this place ? – He knew he sounded awed but this was amazing. The screens lined the walls while the counters in the middle were covered in jars, bottles, boxes and carefully lined papers. It was all so incredibly ordered he itched to check if all the angles were perfect 90 degrees. He’d bet they were.

\- My office. Work office, that is. – Akaashi waved to a wheeled stool under one of the marble counters.

\- As opposed to…? – Tooru sat down and tried to get comfortable. Which wasn’t difficult, considering how comfortable the cushion under his backside was.

\- My research office. It’s over there. Door’s got to stay locked, though, some things learnt how to open a hatch and I had to take measures. – He wasn’t going to ask. He wasn’t… - You can ask, you know.

Tooru leaned on a clean part of the counter and only blinked when the surface next to his elbow lit up with text.

\- Um…

\- It’s fine. You can’t do anything to it. It’s not keyed to your touch. 

\- Good. I guess. Anyway, I am not here to ask questions. I am here to play the role of the rubber ducky.

Akaashi gave a quiet snort and ran a hand through his now-dry curls, putting them down to their perfect places. Now that was a superpower if he’d seen one.

\- I have a rather extensive collection of rubber duckies, both literal and more interesting. Trust me, I need the human touch. So, are you comfortable ? – Settling down even deeper in the cushioned seat, Tooru nodded. – Good. Now,…

\- One thing. – Akaashi blinked in question. – What’s that ?

The man didn’t even turn to look at the only text visible and relatively readable in the whole room. It showed on the huge single monitor that was the first thing one saw when entering and the bright green symbol on black background gave off the retro computer system vibes that people often imitated in games and films but almost never achieved. This was legit. Also, non-flicking. It didn’t change, it didn’t move, it didn’t even have the screensaver running around it.

\- Tabula Smaragdina by Hermes Trismegistus in original. – Tooru just waited. – The Emerald Tablet. It carries the basic principles of alchemy and all of its variations. I can recite it in my sleep, of course, - Of course. – but I like it there for sentimental reasons. When something really doesn’t work I like to stop and remind myself what it all means and how it works on the most basic level.

\- Alchemy. – Tooru tasted the word. – You try to achieve…alchemy.

Akaashi just tilted his head to the side. He seemed honestly confused.

\- Try ? What do you mean, try ? – They sounded like they both thought the other person was the one who didn’t make any sense.

\- You think alchemy is real. You try to turn regular metal…into gold. Or build the Philosopher’s Stone. Immortality, Akaashi ? – If he could be honest, Tooru was a bit disappointed. Children’s tales, sure, why not ? Even he’d tried summoning ghosts when he and Hajime had been young. Even if Akaashi was a bit too old for those, it was still a hobby. But greed in its purest shape – literal gold from rocks and eternal life ? How very…small-minded. He’d expected more of the prince of the manor.

\- Oikawa… - Akaashi sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. – Tooru…Can I call you Tooru ? – He shrugged. That was the least of his problems right now. – Can I tell you something ?

He stepped closer, slowly, giving him time to back off. Tooru didn’t. Stopping right before his knees touched Tooru’s, the height of the stool keeping their eyes on the same level, Akaashi’s features softened. Just a little, but the tender expression rubbed him the wrong way. It looked suspiciously close to pity and he’d never accepted that, not even at his whiniest and most dramatic.

\- Look, Akaashi…

\- It’s Keiji.

\- Keiji…

\- And you didn’t let me finish. Tooru, - Cool eyes dropped down and then met his again. – I learnt how to turn water into gold when I was four. Rocks are something my parents didn’t even bother teaching me, it was too simple and they claim it didn’t keep me interested long enough. And, let me tell you another secret. I am… - Akaashi, no, Keiji was too close, lips almost touching his and Tooru realised something was off about his left eye. – More than a millennium old, you know ? Now, I will start explaining my process from the very beginning. You just sit there, listen and feel free to ask questions. 

Tooru leaned back, smirking lightly. Keiji had pulled back, standing in front of the, what was it ? The Emerald Tablet image, looking like a prince who was about to give a speech, and was waiting.

\- Go ahead. I can’t wait. – Now, it was time to focus on the present. He’d have more time for the rest of his questions later. He hoped.

\- Okay. So, first I thought about using the Praying Mantis’ shudder cycle as a base but there were a few issues with that. But I can’t really…

 

\- How about not going all the way ? – Keiji stopped in the middle of a rather poetic proclamation, a jar of what looked like shiny crystal rods in his hand. He was standing on the counter, waving his arms and talking almost faster than Tooru could focus on. He’d bet it had been at least two hours and he’d said only about ten words. Keiji wasn’t giving any signs of going hoarse or tired, on contrary – he kept picking up speed and energy. And then something had clicked. Now, the man was looking at him with a confused look in his eyes, hair mussed and shirt slipping off of one shoulder. – You said the second stage is…cleaning ?

\- Albedo. Whitening. Purifying. – He was willing to listen. Good. Tooru wasn’t absolutely sure he got the whole concept but it was worth talking it through. That’s why Keiji had asked him for help, after all.

\- Yes. So, what if you don’t go all the way to the perfect result and use it before that ?

\- It will distort my results. – The “Obviously” was so heavily implied Keiji could’ve just as well said it.

\- Yes, but if you already have the results of the clear one as a base, and you’ve done it several times so you’re sure, you’ll be able to measure every little difference and know exactly what happens. 

\- And what do you think will happen ? – Prissy, but Tooru knew what his role was. And what it wasn’t.

\- I’m just a rubber ducky. You’re the scientist. – Keiji glared half-heartedly for another second, sighed and dropped to sit on the counter, legs crossed.

\- It will change the results, obviously. But if I remove everything reactive and leave the harmless imperfections, it might soften the reaction…Hm. – He kept tapping his lip with a finger, toes twitching. 

And then he gave a quiet little snort. Untangling himself from the knot he’d became, Keiji hopped gracefully on the floor and almost sauntered to him. He didn’t look tired anymore, or confused, and his eyes were shining. The half-smile was back and it was soft again, though this time there was no trace of pity in it. Tooru appreciated that.

\- I think I’ll try it. Come on. – What ? Tooru almost didn’t move but seeing the other man open a door that had been seamlessly hidden in the wall forced him to his feet.

\- Where are we going ? 

Keiji led down a few more turns and twists, the ultra-modern walls disappearing to give space to the general atmosphere of the house, of timeless style built for comfort. The hall last corridor ended on the bottom of a wide, brightly-lit staircase, spiral, but made of shiny wood and covered in a deep carpet.

\- You are going upstairs. No offence, but I don’t want you wandering around considering how much of a maze this part of the house is. I’m going to call Kou since he’s better with natural materials and simple physics than me and his help is always extremely valuable. If you go up this way, - He pointed at the very obvious staircase. – you’ll end up in an area of the house you’re familiar with. 

Wait a minute…

\- Then what was the whole thing with coming down here ?

\- For effect, of course. I need you in awe.

 

Four hours and one more shower later, Keiji unlocked the shortcut in his office and the panel slid soundlessly, opening to their chambers. The three of them had offices with rooms next to them, shared offices, stockrooms and random piles of stuff, but the heart of the house was this. The two-level space, with its open plan and a 360° view of the surrounding area, encased in seamless, perfectly clear glass, smooth stone and heavy wood, light fabrics and low furniture, and more protections than most overdramatic vampires in their castles, was home. Here he could relax. Here, he felt safe without his shields and barriers. Here, he could be himself.

While he didn’t feel overheated, this time, Keiji still turned everything off and stopped in the middle of the hallway, bare toes deep in a maroon carpet, to enjoy the silence in his mind. He always forgot how quiet most people’s heads were. Incredible. No buzzing, no rhythmic pulses to keep him updated on every little change, no distortion in his vision. Nothing. He loved every tiny change in his body, even things that had been put there before he’d been able to walk, but there was a special kind of charm in being stripped to his bare flesh and bones, and nothing else. 

Everything was dull and muted, but, at the same time – much sharper. Smooth wood felt like sandpaper and silk along his fingertips. His skin felt too tight and perfect at the same time. The very air tasted of clean spring water and poison ivy, soaked in gasoline. 

And in the middle of the storm assaulting his senses was the warm feeling of calm. Up the stairs and to the left, he found what he’d been looking up for the last few days. His partners.

Their bed was less of an actual piece of furniture and more of a lowered level platform. Round, because Keiji would admit, with a lot of prodding, of course, that he was the biggest starfish of them all and waking up bruised was not his idea of fun. In that pool of blankets, pillows and muted dark colours, crimson night dripping through the class and one moon trembling into wakefulness, there were his lovers. The two piece of his heart, the keepers of his soul. Or, at least, what was left of it. 

He walked slowly, silently, and yet when he raised his eyes, a pair of mirror-shined gold irises blinked at him. The effect would be disturbing if he wasn’t used to waking up to a much closer version of the same view. Kou, on the other hand, just snuggled even tighter, completely under the covers with only the tips of his hair sticking out of it, and Tetsurou pet him, still not releasing Keiji’s eyes. 

\- Here, love… - Dropping the robe on the floor, Keiji could only step helplessly towards him. The youngest of them, Tetsurou was still one of the greatest mysteries of the multiverse that Keiji could never imagine unravelling completely. And, he thought as a cool hand pulled him down and under, maybe he didn’t really want to. Some puzzles were better off left unsolved.

 

Waking up under a living, breathing fire made him feel more alive than ever. It was wrong, though, completely wrong. The inn was cold, rough stone and splintery wood, biting winds and sharp snow. Even Kenma was never enough to keep him warm, no matter how much he tried. Ferocious storms raged until he had no tears left, until his skin was as cold and rough as the dirt roads that crossed right in front of him. 

Looking to the sunrise that never brought the day, he wondered how much more he had. He’d never heard the curse outloud, had been chained and drugged and out of his mind when they’d done it. The Eternal Sunset, right across, offered no more answers that his lover, the Deathless Sunrise. 

He’d stopped counting, cycles ago, stopped following, stopped hoping. Just kept betting, kept playing, kept giving wishes away, an endless loop of blurred faces. Dropping a sigh, he turned back to the inn. There was no point in waiting. If someone needed to find him, they would. And if they didn’t…he could stay outside until Time came to an end and he wouldn’t see a living soul.

The door creaked, as ugly as it was cold, and he barely stopped himself from slamming it in the crumbling wall. Soon, he’d be forgotten. He knew it. Life moved on, old myths disappeared. Nobody looked for answers at crossroads anymore, and nobody wagered with demons for their soul or a wish. It would be almost worth it, he thought. If this kind of desperation disappeared, he would wait there forever. 

Cat eyes blinked at him and he smiled softly, skin feeling dry as the cold outside.

\- Hey, Ken…

 

\- Tetsu ! Babe ? Babe ! 

\- What’s wrong with him ? – Nothing. Nothing was wrong with him. The cold had just seeped too deep this time and the old blanket wouldn’t help. Not tonight.

\- Nothing’s wrong ! He’s just cold ! Tetsu, dove, my soul, wake up. Come on, look at me. Look at me…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was aiming for a sort of cyberpunk vibe from Akaashi's lab. Not sure if I managed to do it. Also, I know. I, too, hate cliffhangers.


	10. Day 3 : Grey mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- For whatever’s worth, I’m sorry. I know it’s not much, but it’s all I have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried writing angst, probably didn't work. Still, some emotions, feel warned.

Tooru was lost. Officially, undeniably, desperately lost. True, the house had looked gigantic from the outside, from what he remembered, but this was getting ridiculous. The day had been more than stimulating for his mind and Akaashi, no, Keiji getting more and more emotional about the topic he was obviously very into had been a true spectacle. Also, he wasn’t sure how much he really believed when it came to alchemy or to the other man’s claims of immortality, but even if it was purely hypothetical, it had been more than a nice mental exercise. He missed those, if he could be honest with himself. 

For some reason, in the last few months he’d been restless and none of his classes had been keeping his attention for long enough. He still excelled in everything, pride and pure, unadulterated stubbornness, mixed with the blind desire not to let a boy younger than him surpass him, those wouldn’t let him slack off even if he wanted. But he’d been getting tired. Too many years of school, of theory, of memorizing. Even the practical projects had been tested before, invented, and given only as an exercise. He knew the actual research came later, Tooru had a pretty good idea how the real world worked, but he’d been drained. Not that he’s been looking for an adventure, he thought, stroking the heavy gold frame of a gorgeous, regal woman on a fancy chair, with a smirk on her lips he would best describe as “evil”. The gesture reminded him of Keiji petting every surface within reaching distance at every point of the day. Tooru stopped to look at the portrait, sighed and then kept going.

His head was clearer than it had been in weeks and the fact that it had taken a kidnapping to a foreign dimension and a lecture in Ancient Greek history of alchemy to wake him up were a bit disturbing. Of course, he was more or less still a prisoner considering how he had no idea how to leave the house or even where the actual door was. Otherwise, he would’ve like to go out and talk to the neighbours. The goth guy and his sleepy boyfriend seemed interesting enough even without the weird weather that appeared to happen only in their yard. An still, even without that, this long, dark hallway was both oppressive and enlightening. Gave his mind freedom to wander but also to be clear of the haze that had been pressing down.

It was also getting sloped up. Great. He’d probably ended in the basement and under a huge anthill or something, and would exit right in a hungry hazel forest. He’d seen some other doors on his way to…wherever he was, but the high-tech locks, frosted windows and doors that looked made out of disgustingly organic stone that visibly pulsated and breathed had discouraged him from trying. So, there he was, with only one direction – ahead. Squaring his shoulders with determination, he employed his most confident gait and tackled the distance.

Damn, it was dark. The lights had ended some time ago but there had been lit torches to make the shadows even more terrifying. Now, there was nothing. He stopped. If he kept going blind, there was a 100% chance he would die or, at least, get severely mauled by something, probably a wall. Or a daisy. Turning on his heels, he turned on the last place he remembered and looked at the candle more carefully. Who even used candles ? And to light up hallways ? Shaking his head, he pulled the whole metal candlestick out of the hook on the wall and went back to the direction he’d chosen. Much better.

The twinkling flame didn’t do anything for the sheer creepiness of the place, but at least he could see where he was going. Which was up. 

The slope was getting steeper and steeper, curling into a gentle circle until he was sure he was climbing up a giant corkscrew. The rock was crumbling under his feet and he could see the wall hadn’t been dug into the rock anymore – they had been built of massive, rough blocks, with yellow sand between them and ivy growing in it. There was something wrong with it…he held the candlestick close and to the side, so the light would show the details on the plant but still be away from it. High school chemistry classes were proving to be useful. Who would’ve thought ? The usual colours on ivy leaves matched though the red on those was much brighter. Tooru decided he’d watched them grow in front of him, in real time, for long enough when a tiny branch extended delicately towards him and reached for the candle. No. Enough.

Straightening from his slouch, he kept going, keeping the crawling green leaves in his field of view, just in case. Running a hand through his hair, he tried not to grimace from how shapeless it felt. It had been only a couple of days. He thought. Hoped. But he hadn’t stopped to take care of it and he’d bet it showed. But when he finally reached a door, he was ready to just face whatever waited on the other side. There was only so much walking down empty corridors one could take.

The heavy door slid open suspiciously easily, obviously oiled, and he stepped in, feed sinking in a dark red carpet. Whoa.

Talk about penthouses. That was what interior designers had wet dreams about. The open space, round, with, as much as he could see, a huge glass wall on the top level, was a strange mix of eras, but it blended perfectly. And everything looked way too cozy. He pushed the door lightly, barely registering the answering click of it falling shut. He was just about to go and check out a bottle with strangely metallic liquid that changed colour every few seconds when some commotion happening up the curving stairs caught his attention. He recognised the voices and it calmed him a little since he was obviously still in the same house, but the emotion in them forced him to run.

Only years of learning not to slide on rubber and wooden courts let him not break his neck because who made stairs that were literally smooth boards hanging in the air ?! But he was determined, especially when he heard Bokuto’s pleading voice. This was…wrong, he thought, trying to catch his breath. This was all wrong. Such an open and smiling man should have never sounded so terrified. It felt against nature and he couldn’t really explain why. But he finally reached the top and stopped for a second to assess the picture in front of him.

The first thing he saw was dark. Dark blankets in different shades piled in a shallow pit, about knee-deep, and in the middle was Bokuto, bent in two and whispering loudly enough for Tooru to hear. And if the tears in his voice weren’t enough, Keiji kneeling next to him with pupils blown wide, spine that seemed frozen and taking unnaturally deep breaths was enough to make his think something was more than wrong. And since Kuroo was not sitting with them…

After the moment of frozen panic, he finally caught their words. Bokuto was just repeating Kuroo’s name, appearing to calm down. Keiji, on the other hand…

\- Open your eyes, love. For me ? Please, just for me ? – He was pleading. The regal creature who had been pacing earlier with the grace of a Nobel prize winner was on his knees, obviously frozen, and was begging. Tooru finally felt his legs unlock and stepped down in the soft, warm pile of blankets. Or, tried. The moment his foot touched the fabric, he found himself up close and personal with a pair of wide gold eyes, dark so wide the yellow was just a band around it. And then he had to try even harder to focus on anything because of the fingers methodically cutting off his air and the blood to his brain. 

It was Bokuto, his suddenly blurring eyes noted. Bokuto, soft, gentle, joking Bokuto, with his strange hair and guileless eyes, the man who talked about the insect moon, deadly trees and his friendly neighbours with the same level of affection, the same person was choking the very life out of him. No expression, no cruelty or glee, or even remorse. Nothing. He was just trying ti kill him in cold blood.

Tooru reached, nails digging in the other man’s hand, trying to pry it open, and failing. Was that how he was going to go ? Dead for no reason by the hand of a man who’d only a few hours ago had been doting on him like a fragile egg ? He wouldn’t just…give up…

Trying to hook his leg or straight up nail him in a delicate area proved to be useless as Bokuto moved as gracefully on the soft surface as he did on stable ground, finding purchase on the frame behind Tooru and putting even more force in his hand while Tooru himself was flopping around like a fish on dry land. This was wrong, his mind supplied. It was all wrong. Why was he even…

\- Tooru ? – Oh. His name. It was…He couldn’t finish the thought because he was too busy coughing his lungs out. His tongue felt too large and his throat itched like he’d swallowed needles. – Shit. Hey, are you okay ? – He could only wave the concern away. Because now that Bokuto had moved to the side, he could see Kuroo. Who was not looking good.

As still as Keiji, the man under the covers didn’t appear to even breathe. And, unless his tearing up eyes were lying to him, his own were open. And unblinking. He was not moving at all.

\- What’s wrong with him ? – His voice sounded worse than he thought but he was glad something came out. Even if it was barely a whisper, it snapped Keiji from his murmurs and his cold glare focused on Tooru for a moment, just long enough to drop a hissed “Nothing’s wrong !” before returning his attention to the still body in front of him.

\- He’s just cold ! Tetsu, dove, my soul, wake up. Come on, look at me. Look at me…

And then he couldn’t see anymore.

 

Opening his eyes, he found himself on a low chaise with a pillow under his head and a high, arched ceiling somewhere up in the distance. The strange vantage point didn’t make any sense so he tried to focus on something else for the moment. Like the fact that his head was slowly calming down. Or how breathing hurt because the very air going down his throat made it pulse with pain. Or, maybe, how he had no idea where he was. Yes, this was a pretty decent list to choose from.

Rolling his eyes to see his surroundings without moving his head, because any little movement felt like it would make him throw up, he saw he was in a brightly lit room, stylishly coordinated for a living room, and there were other people present. Just as he was about to open his mouth to say something, the guy with white in his hair spotted him and headed to the chaise. Whoa, hot.

\- Hey. – It was barely above a whisper and the man kneeled to get their faces on the same level.

\- He… - But he couldn’t finish because his throat rasped, scratched and exploded in coughs. Trying to prop himself on one hand and sit up didn’t work for some reason but his companion was kind enough to pull him by the elbow on his side to help him breathe. It still took what felt like hours for the spasmic coughs to subside and even then, his eyes were still watering and he couldn’t really swallow right. Everything hurt.

\- Shh… - A warm hand slid up and down his back, calming him down. – You’ll be okay. How about we keep it down to “nod for yes, shake for no” ? – That didn’t sound so bad and he would had expected the idea from Keiji or Kuroo and not from…

He sprung from the couch, lost his footing, and ended on his ass, but that didn’t stop him from backing off even more until he hit some piece of furniture. No way in hell he was turning to see what. Trying to moderate his breathing so it wouldn’t hurt so much was difficult when the man who had tried to kill him only short time ago was hovering so close to him.

\- St… - He coughed again but did his best to keep it down. – Stay back. – It was nothing higher than dry leaves in Autumn and yet Bokuto froze. A living, breathing picture. Behind him, Tooru could see Keiji standing next to Kuroo, both of them observing the situation, Keiji – with his blank face, and Kuroo – with blinking confusion all over his. He didn’t allow his gaze to stay on them for too long since the main danger was halfway between him and the sofa, and getting closer. – I said, stay back !

Not even able to scream, the words came out as a whine and ended as a hiss. Not his proudest moment but it seemed to do the job since Bokuto stopped carefully and frowned at him.

\- Are you okay ? – His voice was getting softer and softer. Still trying to calm him. Not this time.

\- I want to go home. Now.

\- You can’t…

\- I said, now ! – Pulling himself up with his right hand, he stood up and looked the other man square in the eyes.

\- Oikawa…

\- Look, I don’t want to be here, you don’t want me here so why don’t we… - He coughed again, curling into himself, his own fingers touching his neck. Which felt all kind of wrong. Tender and swollen, and as he tried to swallow again, it was a difficult task.

\- Hey, now, let me…

\- You want to go ? Let’s go. – The sharp bark came from, well, the most expected direction. Kuroo was holding on Keiji’s hand for dear life, eyes wide, but the other man was staring at Tooru with more than anger in his light eyes. Features going cold, he shook the hand off, passed by Bokuto who was doing his best impression of a kicked puppy, almost shoved Tooru out of the way with how close he went by him and pulled a door open with more force than had probably been necessary. – Come on, I’ll take you home.

Look at that, the Ice King had a temper. But Tooru was sure that if he’d said he’d take him home, he would. Something in the tone didn’t fit but his head was still a bit hazy and also, there weren’t that many places the other man could take him and then ditch him. Well, there were, basically everywhere, but he gave off the vibe he was trying to prove a point and a simple prank didn’t feel right.

\- Keiji, no… - Kuroo had finally found his own voice and was looking at the man by the door with confused sadness. – Come on, it’s not worth it. 

\- What do you mean ? Of course it is. He wants to go home, I’ll take him home. Personally. Right now. You ready, Tooru ? – He wasn’t being smug or anything, Tooru realised. Keiji was trying to prove some point, true, but he wasn’t doing it to rub it in. Then, why ? Lifting his chin, he headed for the door, not even looking back. Whatever nasty surprise Keiji had in mind, because he definitely did, he wouldn’t be moved.

The door shut behind him and for a moment he was drowned in absolute darkness. And he hadn’t even seen what was ahead of him. If it was stairs…He was about to reach with his foot and try when sudden brightness exploded behind him. He couldn’t help it, he turned to look but it was just Keiji with the flashlight on his phone. Looking at the device for another second, he locked it and stepped around Tooru, heading down the straight corridor. He had no choice but to follow.

He wasn’t sure where, exactly, they were going. Because Keiji obviously knew, he didn’t seem to have trouble navigating around the twists, turns and crossroads they passed. Tooru just followed silently. The time for small talk had passed.

After a few minutes, Keiji pushed yet another door open and unlike before, thick fog spilled on the floor at their feet. Lovely. The floor would probably be a swamp or something. Carefully walking around the door, he glanced inside. It was another hallway though this one was lined with doors on both walls. Tall doors, steel doors, fence doors, huge, stone doors. He almost asked but, remembering Keiji’s tone, he kept it all to himself. His ruined throat would probably appreciate it, too. 

The other man stopped in front of a plain looking door, outside one, wooden, nothing interesting, stroked some sort of panel on the wall beside it until it lit in pink, and pushed the handle. During their entire walk, he hadn’t checked on Tooru even once. To be that confident in himself…He almost laughed. Wrong place, wrong time, especially for self-pity. But it was there. He’d seen in in different ways in those three men he’d met only a couple of days ago. They all knew who they were, how had they gotten there and where they were going. They didn’t seem to house silly delusions like whether their path was real, or if they were really dissatisfied with their lives or it was just being a spoilt brat. Because that one was heavy on his mind and had been for a while now.

Inside, it was…outside. And it was cold. That was the first thing Tooru noticed. Cold in the crisp air, cold on the ground. Dark, with stars blinking above his head through the branches of a tree, and the moon, only one and properly round, was gracing the silk of the cosmos with its light. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Because it was his moon and his sky. And maybe, just maybe, his Earth.

\- Tooru. – It was much softer than anything Keiji had said so far. He was standing close, hands crossed lightly, but not in his personal space, and his face was relaxed. Though he was blinking quite a lot. – Look…

\- Is this my home ? – Look at that, his throat was still hurting. Ouch.

\- Yes. But…No, you will hear me out. – It had been an order and while he wasn’t one to follow those, he needed a break to focus on breathing the icy air. – Is this your home ? In a matter of speaking. But, you are more than welcome to stay with us. You were under for fourteen hours. Kou cried his eyes out twice during that time. You have no idea… - He carded a slim hand through his curls. – how much it hurt him. And I am not blaming you or saying you have no right to be upset. Because you do. I just want you to understand what happened and why. I can explain. And. – He shrugged, head to the side. – And I want you to come back. To us. You could achieve so much with the right opportunity. Let us give it to you.

\- Why ? – Keiji blinked at him.

\- Why…? – Tooru wasn’t going to try to explain. It would hurt too much and it wouldn’t even be worth it because he wasn’t sure he could put it into words. - Why now ? Why am I offering this here, when you’re only a few steps away from home ? And why now, after almost shouting at you and basically kicking you out ? – Well, he hadn’t thought that far ahead. Talk about dramatic. – It’s easy. I was mad, Kou was a mess of guilt, Tetsu was still confused since he had no idea what was going on, the last two made me even more mad. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. And I most definitely shouldn’t have taken you here. It was a mistake. Allow me to take you back to the Crossroads. Even if you decide you don’t want to be around us, it’s not such a bad place to live.

\- Aside from the hazels ? – Keiji stood still for a second and then laughed softly. Tooru was almost enchanted. Almost. – No.

\- No. – He agreed with another little sigh. – Let me show you, then. Come, it’s really close.

 

He couldn’t even comprehend what he was seeing. In the dead silence, not even crickets breaking the blanket of the night, he stood there and stared. It was a pretty grave, he had to admit it. Neat, not too flashy. The only difference was the offerings. There were just so…many of them. So many. It could had been the last place of any loved person. Anyone. But the carved letters didn’t lie. He didn’t even realise he was kneeling until he felt moss under his fingers. The cold mud was seeping through his pants but it barely registered. Everything he knew, everything he…was, all of it was focused on the object in front of him. 

A final goodbye. It was ironic, he thought. How ironic. He’d done everything possible in his life to be good enough to never be left behind and now ? This ? All of his friends, every single person who’d cared for him…This was them telling him he was done. His path was over. They were going forward and had made peace with the fact that he wouldn’t. They were ready to forget him. To keep going. Like his dreams had meant nothing. Like he had meant nothing ! Was he so easy to forget ? Leave an offering and just go on with their lives ? Who did they think they were ? Names, so many names, all wishing him peace. Who needed peace ? He wanted his life !

They had no right to do that ! He had to be there, he had exams and projects and a career, and a family somewhere in the future. He had…a future. He knew he had. He was still there ! He was alive, he could feel. How dare they disregard his entire existence when he was right there ? How could they…

Tooru didn’t know how long he’d kneeled there, in the grass, but it had started raining at some point. How fitting. Even his footsteps in the damned mud would be erased the moment he got up. Like he’d never been there. Like he’d never come back. 

\- For whatever’s worth, I’m sorry. – He looked up, unsure when he’d closed his eyes. But his throat burned and his eyes hurt and his breath still hiccupped in his chest. – I know   
it’s not much, but it’s all I have.

Keiji’s light eyes were the same colour as the stormy dawn breaking through the night sky. And just as sad. He was getting soaked from the downpour but didn’t appear to even blink, soft expression focused on Tooru. He didn’t have it in him to speak. Tooru didn’t know if he’d ever have it in him to do it again.

There was a choice to be made…No. Not really. Reaching up, he kept his eyes on Keiji’s face and hoped he would understand. But, of course he did. His fingers were clasped in a warm, solid grip and the other man pulled him up. Throwing a jacket on his shoulders that somehow wasn’t dripping, Keiji led him to the fence of the graveyard. Tooru didn’t turn back. There was nothing to look back to. Not anymore.


	11. Interlude : Black dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- He didn’t wake up ?  
> \- No. He smiled. Struck at the same time.  
> \- He’d fit in just right, eh ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning.  
> Or, the one where the "Horror" and "Body Horror" tags first come to play.  
> Creator might have been listening to Everything Black by Unlike Pluto on repeat. Might.

He knew his grin was too wide but the temptation, oh, the sweet calling of blood rushing close to surface, of the heart beating steadily under fragile bones, of muscle and sinew so tasty, all his for the taking…He lowered himself even more. A modern day knight…who knew those even existed ? 

Slowly extending one hand, he leaned on one knee, feeling the silken night caress his split cheekbones. An owl hooted and he glanced sharply. Nothing would distract his prey. Not tonight. Under his fingers, black pooled like ink, dripping down and touching the ground. The knight stopped in the middle of a clearing. No cities, no cars, no humans. Nothing but black kilometres away. Everything black. Still, he was so still, and he hungered. 

For the tender flesh that would split under his lips, for the warm blood that would slide down his throat. It would be glorious and it would sate the hunger that had been torturing him for longer than worlds had existed. This one…This one would do it.

Countless had fallen at his feet, he remembered while crawling down the tree. Some – voluntary, some by force. Always bleeding, always screaming. Always in pain. And it hurt him, that they refused him. For he was the night itself and stars were etched on his skin, the moon herself residing in his eyes. They were all ungrateful, not caring that their deaths served a higher purpose. No, they never thought of everything but themselves. How very selfish. How very…human. It was petty, the human nature. It knew only to take, but never to give. Never to sacrifice. But it was fine. Because he taught them. In the end, he taught them what it meant to share. Their lives for his power. Their souls for his hunger. A purpose for them was more than a fair exchange. They just realised it too late. Every single one.

This one…he knew, this one would be different. This one would sate him. It would finally come to end. A crow screamed somewhere, another joined, a third. A murder on his doorstep. How fitting. His footsteps didn’t make a sound. The soft vibration of a heartbeat ran across his darkness, raising phantom flesh to life. He licked his split lips. A feast. 

The living creature stood still in a middle of midnight green. He frowned. No, it was wrong. He belonged to him. Not to the colours, not to life. Only to him. And he would enjoy him until there was nothing left of either of them. Until they destroyed each other, consumed until not even a scrap of flesh remained. He could taste the crunch of bones between his teeth, knew they would burn down his throat, knew the knight would revel in it. In his own pain and his destruction. It would be the peak of his existence and the end of him. He salivated at the thought. 

But he couldn’t get too impatient. He couldn’t spook his prey. He needed the knight alive and fighting. He needed him as bloodthirsty as possible. He needed him insane with hunger to match his. He wanted desires as incinerating as his. And the knight…he had them. They bubbled under the surcafe, bleeding through the cracks of his mind. Not enough for a swallow but enough to get him mad with hunger, panting with thirst. He could smell it, the raw power, the thrill of the chase, the sharp burning of acceptance. His entire being melted in the night, slipping in threes and grass and night sky. He was nothing but a mind broken down by need and held together by the almost-taste of blood along his tongue. 

He tasted the ground first, feeling grass die and then be reborn under his lips. No more skin, the night wind was a part of his being, rippling through him and bringing him the sound of soft even breathing. The knight was not afraid, and it made him happy. Because he would not fight, not where it counted. True, he longed for the complete destruction of ripping flesh, burning bones and sharp eyes, but he wanted the feeling. Not fear, because fear tasted sour. No, he wanted the same primal desire. To kill and be killed. To be everything and nothing at the same time. To become nothing more than a flesh husk and disintegrate in the night sky. To burn and freeze and choke on stardust…He had seen the beginning, witnessed it far too many times. Now, he needed the end. He couldn’t wait anymore. 

The knight still stood there, hands down to his sides. He wanted him to turn, wanted so see the hatred for the one who would rip him to shreds and the adoration for the one he would liberate. He wanted it all, wanted the knight to see him and slip into him and split him in two like a burning daybreak. Wanted the brands of touch and submission of mind. He would conquer and pillage, and he would be a hostage and a victim, all at the same time. And it would be glorious.

A million and one eyes shifted and the knight’s chocolate eyes stopped him in his tracks. It was wrong. Just like the grass, now black under his touch, the colours had no place on what was his. He would not allow life to claim the knight. He never asked for anything, never stole from the Day and yet, yet, the glutton was bent on taking what had been his from the very beginning. The right to end was his and only his, he could choose how to do it and who to deal the final blow. The knight belonged to him and he belonged to the knight. 

Daybreak was coming, he could feel his coat thinning where the first touches of the proud bastard landed. He tried not to hiss in pain. He would not be denied ! He’d spent millennia, lives and worlds searching and waiting, looking for the perfect one, for the human who would be more than a weapon, more than a mean to an end. Who would understand it, understand him, and come to him as an equal. Who would fall in him, surrender to the black sky and fight until the very end. This moment was his and his alone.

He couldn’t wait. Time had slowed itself for him, to allow him to keep searching, waiting, prowling like a starving beast, chained to a cliff. But now…it was over. Finally.

He called the stars, moonlight spilling down bared bones and smooth silk. His flesh was shadows and his smile was as dark as the deepest ocean, and just as quiet. He needed. No weapons, because he would not make it cheap or forced. He would greet the end with the ferocity and pride he had been gathering since before the first human had taken her first breath. He would give it all. And then take. It would be an even exchange. It would be worth it.

Letting his tongue loll down his chest, he felt the burn of Day. Too slow, he was too slow, he couldn’t stop him. Gathering it all in him, silken webs of night air and fireflies, the murder and the owls, a black cat and stardust. He breathed it all in and focused everything he had ever been on the knight. Sharp like a lightning, he found himself a speck of dust away from his prey. Darkness rose to embrace him and the knight answered. A smile graced his lips and he responded with a grin of his own. Splitting his face until his teeth showed, he still smiled and the ferocious gleam in the knight’s eyes matched the acid on his own tongue. Oh, it would hurt and it would burn…And he couldn’t wait. He would engulf him whole and feel him cut him to ribbons until not even a grain of sand remained. 

Mad eyes met his night and he almost felt breath on his face. For the first time in worlds’ amount of time, he was almost alive. Almost but not quite. Still, it wasn’t life he was after. No, he felt the blade and the mirth touch his night and whatever was left of his soul. It definitely wasn’t life.

With one last lick, he struck, feeling the heart beating in his claws…and the sand seeping from his own presence. 

They had reached together, like one. He had chosen wisely, indeed. Though this wasn’t the end. Oh, no, he laughed as he pulled, feeling bones dig in his flesh, resisting the theft. It would be, he screamed as the blade ripped through feathers and leaves and diamond, breaking him down, only the beginning.

 

Tetsurou looked up from his book, seeing Keiji walk in slowly. He’d felt it, a slow tide coming and going a few times in the last hour, but he didn’t ask. He never did. This was a side of him Keiji rarely talked about and he was fine with that. His lover turned and Tetsurou blinked. His left eye was completely black and from it spilled black cracks, covering the entire side of his face, dipping down his neck and under his t-shirt. He knew that if he looked down, he would see curved claws that would be dripping with fresh blood. If he spoke, Tetsurou knew he would see more than fangs. So he shut the book and stood up.

\- Hungry ? – A small nod. Good. Keiji was usually stable after such episodes but he still had his bad moment. – How’s he ?

\- Sleeping. – He glanced back. Gunmetal grey and bleeding black, both on the canvas of porcelain smooth skin. He was gorgeous.

\- He didn’t wake up ?

\- No. – He was almost purring. Tetsurou felt something in him respond on a primal level but it was not the time. He was cooking. – He smiled. Struck at the same time.

Tetsurou snorted. So it was like that.

\- He’d fit in just right, eh ?

There was no answer. Not that he needed one, of course. Life was getting more and more interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ask, because I can't answer. It's just a thing that happened. Yeah.


	12. Day 4 : Warm Blankets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Conversation happens. Kind of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This kind of explains what that last chapter was about, but not really ? Anyway, enjoy.  
> .  
> A bit more dialogue-heavy.

  Taking care of bonsai trees was the epitome of patience, Koutarou thought. The screwdriver he’d build by hand using a pair of tweezers gave the tiniest squeak when he tightened the gear he was working on, and then stopped. He reached without looking, hooking up the little piece of cord on the side of the flower pot and the gear roughly the size of a pea started spinning, bringing the entire system to life. With its soft clicks and whirrs, it made music and lit the entire room. He smiled.

  Koutarou pushed his goggles up his face to tangle in his hair and carefully slid the glass dome back down, covering the miniature tree and the old-time swing sets that hung from its branches. The swings moved like clockwork, literally, and the rhythm almost brought him peace. Only, the gushing guilt refused to let go.

  Dropping on a chair, he spent exactly four seconds in it before jumping on his feet and staring to pace.

  Patience…He’d never known it before. Had never had to learn it, not before meeting Keiji, and especially not before meeting Tetsurou. There had never been need for that. He’d always been the weapon in the hands of his commanders, he considered while following a train ticking along rails that climbed around a cactus the size of a large dog. Others had made the decisions, they had only expected him to act and do it fast. He’d never had to wait. Stretching his arm, he rubbed at his right shoulder. He’d been so naïve and sheltered.

  People thought him loud and impulsive, he knew. And he was. There was no escaping from it. While some of it was his upbringing, most of it was just him being him. But they had fed it, nurtured it, until the impulses had grown into responses he wouldn’t really control. Or chain. And it had cost him a lot.

  The last one, his heart wept for it. He’d knows the other man, the stranger in their house, was suspicious. Who wouldn’t ? But Oikawa had grown calmer around him. Not much, but he’d been confident down the way to the hazels, hadn’t even freaked out when he saw them, and his first thought had been to help Tetsurou who had been in distress. And what had he done ?

  He’d taken that fragile trust and broken it. Not even a betrayal, he hadn’t been that distinguished and refined. No, he’d simply tried to kill an innocent who had only been trying to help. What a lowlife. And he had frightened him. Because while neither Tetsurou nor Keiji looked at him with fear, that was because they had known the bad sides of him before scrapping whatever good had stuck through the years. Their guest hadn’t had that luxury. And then Keiji had snapped and it had all gone downhill. All because of him. Because he couldn’t control himself. What a joke he was. For an enforcer, for a host, for a partner. How could he even consider calling himself a…

  Oh.

  He felt it rise, wash through him like a cool ocean wave, and then drain past him. And then again, this time higher. It reached his hips. He stood perfectly still, the only sound in the room being the clicks of his toys and the low hum in his ears.

  Koutarou knew he couldn’t disturb whatever was happening, at least not by simply moving around, but it felt too delicate and fragile. So he simply took a deep breath and let it flow.

  It sank through his closed eyes, he felt it drip in his ears and fill his mouth, sloshing down his throat. Trying to simply breathe, he reached blindly and managed to catch a chair, sinking in it and almost ending on the floor. The flow of the tide loud in his head, he just listened to the waves crash. Somewhere in the house, Tetsurou was probably doing the same, though it usually didn’t hit him as hard. But for now, he couldn’t think about that. All he could do was stare at the pretty lights behind his eyelids and enjoy the static filling his senses.

  Tetsurou’s nature made him react in a different ways and apparently it didn’t really do anything for him. Just a disruption. With him, it felt like a gushing water. And in some rare cases, like now, he considered while reaching for a glass of water, like poison.

  What felt like moon cycles later, he opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. Nothing was changed, just it was supposed to, but old habits forced him to stay still and run his eyes down the walls. Keiji could be so distinctly alien that even after centuries together, his first reaction would be denial and attack. Good thing his lover didn’t take offence. He just called it “institutionalised bigotry” and shrugged it off like it was nothing. It didn’t make him feel much better but there were other ways…

  Springing to his feet, he jumped over an ottoman in the dark and dashed to the door. He barely remembered to kick it closed behind his back, sparing half a moment to listen for the distinct clicks that proved it was properly locked, stepped on the railing and pushed himself in the empty air.

  It felt like pins and needles, like his entire body had fallen asleep in the wrongest position, like a low charge battery had been hooked to his system. No pain, which made him glad because of some stories from different kinds of shifters he’s heard. No feeling of breaking bones, of contortion and distortion. No sudden shift in his field of view. It felt as natural as blinking and just as effortless.

  Feathers caught the currents crawling through the small windows along the stairs and he glided down the what he’d heard described as “thirty-floor drop”. The moment he was close enough, he reversed the process with just as little effort, dropping on the stone floor in a jog without a sound. Feet catching on the smooth surface by the door, he reached by instinct and caught himself on the frame.

  Inside, Tetsurou was fiddling with the stove and Keiji…Keiji was looking at him. Expression more clinical than usual, he would be the epitome of the “master of the mansion” if not for the marks on his face.

  Koutarou froze and the breath went still in his chest. It always did, because while the mild burns and replacement procedures left scars, this was what always stopped him in his tracks. It was almost funny how his people had been okay with…this, but not with the metal bits and pieces. For him, it was the opposite. It always lasted for a speck of a second but he felt more ashamed that ever. Every single time.

 - Kou… - It was a sigh, the beginning of a smile, a clack of razor-sharp fangs. And he went like a lamb for slaughter. Black really did suit Keiji, made him look otherworldly and different and forbidden. He didn’t even think about refusing. He stopped, every time, but after that initial pause he always ran to his partner without any more hesitation.

 - Hey… - Taking one slim hand in his, he stroked over shiny black claws and bony fingers. The claws were smooth, sharp-tipped, and could draw blood with the lightest touch. And they had, he had the pale lines down his body to prove it.

 - Hey. – He pressed his lips to those cold fingers, eyes not leaving his lover’s mismatched gaze, and tried to show as much of the warmth filling his chest as possible. – You are gorgeous, you know ? I don’t tell you enough, but…

 - Kou. It’s okay. I know. – Did he, though ? True, he’d said it more times than he could count, through more years he could remember, and yet…Keiji must had noticed. He was clever, much more clever than even his sophisticated looks gave away, and knew how to read people. He knew about that tiny pause, he knew about the fear and disgust that filled his mouth for less than half a second every time he saw that face. He knew it all. Moons, Tetsurou knew it, and he could be in denial with the best of them. – Kou.

  Keiji’s long fingers slipped from his but before he could protest, his lover pulled him by the wrist and in his lap. Cold fingertips danced over his cheek and he felt the sharp claws touch the shell of his ear.

 - Come, love. – It was breathed against his lips. – Let me show you…

  And then he could barely think because Keiji was breathing him in, drinking him in, and the fangs digging in felt like a revelation. So he responded, hands down smooth skin, the black cracks almost-but-not-quite there under his touch. He still made sure to pet them. And, as he slid his mouth down, to kiss them. All.

 

  Tetsurou smiled widely at the picture on the couch. He’d turned his back for a minute, tops, and his lovers were already deep into “cuddling mode”. Shaking his head, he closed the lid of the pot, moved it away from the stove and wiped his hands on the towel hanging on his belt loop. It would be best to check on their guest. Shutting the door behind him, he headed up to the tower that housed their bedroom.

  He hadn’t actually seen the man. The last thing he remembered was Keiji almost storming out of the house, Oikawa following him with his head high and bruises blooming around his neck like flowers on the milky skin. And then, several hours later, he’d seen Keiji lean his forehead on the shower wall, water he knew would be lukewarm running down his naked body. He hadn’t gotten too close, just made a little sound to let his lover know he was there. Keiji had raised his eyes, blinked at him and then gone back to breathing in the tiles. That had been it. Until a few minutes ago.

  Leaning back on the mirror that played the role of a back wall of their lift, he stretched a little. He was almost certain he knew where Keiji had taken Oikawa in a rare fit of anger, and if he was right, their guest would not be happy when he woke up. Especially after whatever he’d dreamt about.

  Tetsurou was used to it. The first time, which was what Keiji had done today, had been terrifying. He knew the dreams took their shape from the dreamer, and he had a lot of nightmare fuel buried deep. Keiji had dragged it all out. He had thrown up, he remembered. Bent over a bucket, body shaking until it felt like his teeth were chattering, he hadn’t allowed Keiji to get within two metres of him for weeks. It had taken him even longer to gather his courage to do it while Kou was not in the room with them. Sleeping together ? He snorted, no touch of mirth in his heart. Months, if not years.

  He still remembered the touch, the burn, the…hunger. Shared desires of the worst kind, of blood and bone and destruction. Of life draining, rivers overflowing and his own flesh reshaping. A real nightmare. Now…Now, he was used to it. Keiji usually did it only when he was looking for something or had some kind of conflict inside his pretty head. And instead of talking things through, he tried to solve it all on his own. It never worked, of course, but at least him and Kou knew it the moment it became too much.

   Stepping out of the lift, Tetsurou pushed the heavy door of their bedroom and stepped on the plush carpet. The door fell shut behind him, not making a sound, and he looked around. Just, because he was sure Keiji had left their guest in bed, that didn’t mean the man wasn’t hiding behind an armchair with a shiv or something. He’d seen insanity, he’d seen darkness and he knew that while modern people in the world Oikawa was from liked to think they were civilised and all, the primal instinct was still inside. Sleeping, deeper in some people than in other, but it was always there. And when it came to Oikawa, he had the weird feeling that one wrong move could have the predator awake and growling in a millisecond.

  And, of course, the poor guy had just had a shared dream with one of Keiji’s more questionable experiments. Most questionable ? Tetsurou paused, one hand tight around the bag of apples he’d taken from the kitchen. All of Keiji’s experiments were questionable at best and downright terrifying at worst. It was just part of life by now.

  When a few seconds of investigation did not reveal anyone lying in wait, Tetsurou carefully leaned in the arched doorway to the actual bedroom. Oh. At least one of his questions got answered. Their guest was there, in one of the ridiculously huge and deep chairs that could hold Kou’s impressive physique and at least one of them in his lap, and resembled a ball under a blanket.

  Dropping the bag of apples on the floor with as little sound as possible, he walked around and stopped a couple of metres away from the chair while trying to get in the other man’s field of view. He knew better than anyone how extreme people’s reactions could be when startled and while Oikawa might not have either of his lovers’ destructive impulses, he still didn’t want to upset him simply by being in the same room. He took a deep breath, loudly, and contemplated which side to approach from.

 - Stop thinking, you might give yourself a stroke. – The words sounded spat out but the voice behind them was steady. Tetsurou stopped looking around and returned his focus to the still figure in the chair. Said figure seemed to be expecting an answer.

 - That wasn’t very nice. – It was more than lame but he wasn’t sure about Oikawa’s actual condition so threading lightly it was. At least for now.

 - Life is not very nice, grow up. – Sulky. Tetsurou swallowed the just as poisonous reply that almost dripped from his tongue and tried to remember the other man was upset, alone, probably confused and… - And if you stop with the pity, it would be even better. – The lump of blankets shuffled a little and one of the folds fell back to show Oikawa’s…absolutely terrible hair. It was completely flat and squashed and down in his eyes, and he would had laughed in every possible situation but the one they were currently in. Because no matter how hilarious it was, all he could focus on were the red eyes, red nose and the startingly black and blue handprint around his neck.

  Tetsurou glanced around and for the lack of a better option, he just pulled a big pillow and sat down in front of the chair. Which put his face to the same level of the cushion, making Oikawa loom over him. He didn’t make the mistake to get too close, he wasn’t stupid, but he hoped the comfortable position and his relaxed body language would soothe the other man. No such luck, obviously, since he pulled the blanket tighter around himself and settled even deeper in the upholstery.

   After a few seconds of staring, Tetsurou sighed. Oikawa was upset, with more than a good reason for it, of course, which was why getting his calmer and receptive was the big goal here. The question was how to proceed. He opened his mouth to say…something, when their guest shook his head a little and rubbed his face.

 - Look, I get you’re trying to be helpful and all, but…I hope you’ll understand if I don’t want to see you. Any of you. Ever again. – He sounded calm, the tears silent in his voice and only some translucent gruffness deep in there to be evidence for whatever had happened when he’d been alone. Crying, if Tetsurou had to guess. Screaming, possibly, if he was the type. He’d spoken too quietly for him to judge with certainty.

 - Actually, I do. Understand, that is. – Bottomless dark eyes blinked at him, clarity burning somewhere in their depths. – It wasn’t always the three of us, you know. It wasn’t always… - He paused to think. – pretty. For longer than you could imagine. – Tetsurou shrugged. He wasn’t ashamed or anything, but it was a sensitive topic. – I have lived for a long time. You start seeing some things in perspective. And stop noticing others.

 - Is this supposed to make me feel better ? – It was a defense mechanism, he realised. The “snapping back” strategy. Like a cat making itself look bigger so its opponent wouldn’t dare to attack. “Offense is the best defense”, right ? He wasn’t sure what that meant for Oikawa’s mental condition but he was talking, wasn’t slurring or in hysteria, so he counted it as a win. – Because, honestly…

 - No. We are just talking. If it’s about what Kou did…

 - He tried to kill me ! – There it was. The thinly veiled panic, the choked screams. A scared wild animal pushed past its limits. He was unraveling fast, his entire figure shaking in the chair and Tetsurou knew that unless he did something, and quickly, he would have  a full-blown panic attack on his hands. And while he didn’t mind calming the other man, in his current condition he could do some real and lasting damage to himself.

 - Hey. – He raised his arms to show he was harmless and tried to reach for the other man. Touch could be grounding to some people and Oikawa looked like he enjoyed it even in a platonic environment. Maybe it would…

 - Don’t… - Tetsurou paused mid-action. True, Daishou was the one with the weird snake connections, but he’s never heard a human make such a terrible hissing noise. And still manage to make it sound like actual words. – Don’t touch me. Never, ever try to touch me. You, or anyone else. Got it ?  - When he, apparently, took too long to respond, Oikawa took a deep breath, eyes wide and pupils blown black, and bared his teeth. The expression was disturbingly inhuman even for someone who had lived with non-humans for a really long time, and he tried to calm himself this time.

 - Of course. – He dropped his hand back in his lap. – Never, unless you give explicit permission. I promise.

 - Can you, though ? – Okay, crisis avoided. Oikawa was back to being snappy so Tetsurou guessed he’d calmed down at least a little.

 - Yes.

 - Kuroo…

 - Yes. Unless it’s a security risk, and even then we would do our best to ask. None of us would touch you without you giving some sort of permission. In any way. I can promise. And I can swear on it. If that’s what you want.

  After a long pause and a tired exhale, Oikawa shook his head, burying himself back in the blanket.

 - No need for that. I have no idea what oaths do here. Could be bad, could be nothing. I am not risking it.

 - I am more than grateful. – He looked up to meet sharp eyes glaring at him from under a messy fringe. – What ? I am. Depending on the wind and what the locals have been doing recently, it could be pretty bad.

 - I bet it could.

   He let that one slide. The quiet had gotten more comfortable and while Oikawa was not dropping the blanket, his posture was relaxing slowly. Good. He had time. By now, Kou had probably licked every black mark, sigil and crack on Keiji’s not-quite-human skin, kissed every clawed finger and pet the electric fuzz that became of Keiji’s curly hair when he was still settling in his own body. He knew it, after all that time together, how Kou reacted and, even more, how bad he felt for those reactions. But choice could only go so far – instincts that had been hammered into someone from the moment they were born sometimes could be impossible to escape from. And he knew it broke Kou’s heart evert single time.

  - Where is he ? – Tetsurou looked back up. Usually, he would had tried to guess but in the current conversation it would be better to be sure. Although…

 - Making out with his partner on the couch downstairs. Unless they’ve gotten to the good bit, which would not be making out anymore. Yeah. – Oikawa blinked at him.

 - I was asking about Akaashi. – Tetsurou shrugged.

 - I believe he asked you to use his given name. And – He raised his voice to halt the objection. – the only two people you could be asking about were making out on the couch last time I was there, so no matter who you meant, the answer would be the same. Because they are making out. – Oikawa narrowed his eyes. – With each other. Kou and Keiji, you know, the two other people who live here ? – Even more narrowed. A muscle under the other man’s left eye started to twitch. Tetsurou grinned. – They are engaging in sexual behaviour. With their mouths. – Okay, the glare turned into mild disgust. That was fun. He was forgetting to be scared for the sake of faking repulsion. – And probably their hands. In their pants. Probably groping each other. – Upper lip curled. – Keiji and Kou, I mean.

 - Done ?

 - Nope. – He made sure to pop the word in his mouth. – I can keep going for a while.

 - Please, don’t.

 - Ask nicely ? – Tetsurou wanted to get closer, to tease a bit more and see if Oikawa would push back, but he’d given his word that there would be no touching. So, grinning it was, even if he was still worried.

 - Kuroo…

 - It’s Tetsurou. – He got a sigh for that. – It’s my name and it’s weird for something else to be used under my own roof. I don’t mind, I won’t ask for the same privilege. But if you need permission, you have it.

 - Tetsurou. – He sounded like he was tasting it, running it past his tongue and down his throat. That was such a bad direction for his thoughts to go, but he couldn’t help it. Something in the way he rose for a challenge every time, ready with a comeback or a glare, made him want to poke a little. Oh. Oooh. He tried not to smile. So that’s what it was. It reminded him of how Kou had been looking at their guest, with such an enraptured expression. Or, how Keiji would twist his lips just a little when he knew the other man wasn’t looking. It made sense.

 - That’s…me. Yeah. – He really needed to get out of his own head. This was not the time. – You want food ?

 - I just saw my own grave !

 - And had a terrible nightmare ? – Oikawa’s mouth opened but he didn’t make a sound.

 - How…

 - Keiji. He was looking for something. It could be unpleasant. Trust me, I know.

 - That was… He forced a nightmare in my head ? – Oh, this was going downhill, and fast. He had to find a way to stop the conversation but…

 - It was a shared dream. Lucid, on his side.

 - So he made me have a terrible nightmare that I will be seeing until the day I die ? – It was said so slowly and carefully, he just knew Oikawa was only half sarcastic.

 - Well, if you put it like that… - Those big dark eyes keeping him on his spot didn’t even waver. – Yes.

 - Is there a reason or is he just a psychopath ?

 - Now, Oikawa, there is no need for that.

 - He made me…

 - He didn’t.  – How was the conversation shifting so fast ? – He forced the place, he controlled himself, but he didn’t make you do anything. Whatever you felt might have been exaggerated or buried deep, but it was all you.

 - Sorry to burst your bubble, but – He rose from the chair, bare foot daintly stepping between Tetsurou’s spread knees. – I am not whatever that was.

   He paused to evaluate the position they were in. Him, kneeling, sitting back on his heels, knees spread, leaning back on his palms, looking up. Oikawa standing on one leg, toes almost disturbingly close to his crotch, his other foot still hanging from the chair, his face looking down with what looked like disdain. It was way too close to the way he and his lovers looked like when they were playing sometimes. He felt the heat that had gone down a little rise again. Such a bad moment, but Oikawa was getting back to himself and he loved it.

 - Yes. You are. It was a question, you see. An enquiry. He wanted to hear your answer. That’s all.

  The foot between his legs went down and Oikawa but his whole weight on it for a moment. His other leg slipped from the chair and the ball of the foot touched his hip. High. And then pressed a little, obviously testing his reaction. It was a game which, sadly for the other man, Tetsurou knew how to play. He didn’t react, eyes never leaving the face looking down on him.

 - You seem awfully certain. – The foot rubbed his hip a little, leaned a little more, though he could see it was more for balance than anything. He still wasn’t putting his entire body weight on it.

 - I’ve been there. It was bad.

 - Just bad ? – It was asked with a flip of hair and a glint in his eyes that didn’t seem nice or warm. Or gentle.

 - I can tell you. But you need to ask the right questions.

 - This is getting old. This “Ask the right questions” thing. – Tetsurou shrugged.

 - We are what we are. Can’t change history, can’t change our nature. We can only adapt, and to a certain level. Otherwise… - A memory rose, of Kou kneeling, face to the floor, shaking, crying, screaming his hatred for his own people, fists to the marble floor. It had happened too many times to remember individual occasions. But it had always ended in blood and torn throat and tears. And Keiji holding him close for hours, eyes distant. It had been him in a corner, in a closet, in a basement, with a lit torch and a knife, twitching at shadows, breathing heavily until his vision had gone black. It was Keiji walking proud like the prince he was when people threw words at him like broken glass, and doing it with his chin high. They were all victims of their nature. It was how things worked.

 - Doesn’t make it easy for me.

 - How did you say it ? Life is never easy ? – As a reward, he felt Oikawa lean more, and stand on the toes of the foot touching the floor. Now his entire weight was on Tetsurou’s hip, his point of view even sharper.

 - Don’t you dare use my words against me.

 - Don’t give me ammunition.

 - Don’t let me stop you. – Tetsurou didn’t move, but Oikawa jumped back and almost fell in the chair. Tetsurou hadn’t heard anything but this place was safe so any surprises that happened here didn’t trigger the “fight or flight” response. He turned, slowly, to see Keiji at his most human, clad only in Kou’s T-shirt and looking delectably marked from his chin all the way to his toes. How did they even manage to do it in such a short period of time, he’d never knew. Well, he did, because when Kou put his mind on something, he was dangerously single-minded. But still. It was impressive. – No, please, keep going. I am just getting some clean clothes.

 - I want to speak to you. – Keiji just hummed in response. Talk about being relaxed. – In private.

 - Any time you want.

 - Now.

 - And this, gentlemen, is my cue to leave. – He smiled at Oikawa who was, in turn, glaring at him. – You behave. And you, - he kissed Keiji’s black and blue neck. – you be nice, okay ?

 - No promises. – That one came from their guest. He smiled widely. Maybe Kou was still in the mood. Or maybe he’d catch him before he left the shower. Yeah, that sounded good…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you for reading. I am so very grateful to everyone who is still here. You're the best.  
> .  
> Second, let me know how it was. Comments give me life and make my year.  
> .  
> Third, I am not into feet.  
> .  
> Thank you.


	13. Day 4.2 : Comfortable desks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \- I warned you. Several times. And it was the best way to get it through your skull. And to snap you out of it.  
> \- Calling me “thickheaded” ?  
> \- Difficult. I am calling you “difficult”. But that’s not what I want to talk to you about.  
> \- No ? – Now who was being difficult on purpose ?  
> \- No.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING : BONDAGE, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK !
> 
> Now that that's done, this chapter is an old one I was looking a spot for. At least half of it. The other half is sparkling new. yeah. It's also a big longer so...Enjoy !

   - Now, Tooru, how about we talk ? Just the two of us.

  How dared he use his…

  Keiji crossed his legs and leaned back on the wall behind him. Nothing in his position betrayed nerves or embarrassment. How dared he be so calm and collected when Tooru felt like he was about to burst out of his skin ? His very bones felt like they were vibrating and the desire to run or scream or just disappear was ripping his head apart. But two could play that game.

  He mirrored the pose, sinking back in the huge chair, and just knew his face was just as bored. After all the crying he’d done beside his own grave, he had calmed down, kind of, and could fake it a little better. With the whole floor empty aside from the two of them, he felt the tension rise. Keiji was still a mystery, still a tightly bound secret, and Tooru kind of wanted to see where he was going with all this.

 - Talk about what ? That low move you pulled on me ? – Tooru would give him this, Keiji didn’t even pretend to be ashamed or sorry. He’d said his apologies when he’d pulled him up and away from the graveyard, and that had been it. Or, he suspected, the man simply hid things even better than him. But he couldn’t be sure.

 - I warned you. Several times. And it was the best way to get it through your skull. And to snap you out of it.

 - Calling me “thickheaded” ? – He hoped his smirk hid the screaming in his head.

 - Difficult. I am calling you “difficult”. But that’s not what I want to talk to you about.

 - No ? – Now who was being difficult on purpose ?

 - No. See, I pride myself on being quite observant. Even without all the mechanisms, I like to think I get people. How they work, what forces the tiny metaphorical gears in their heads to spin. – Mechanisms ? What was he talking about ?

 - Bet it helps with handling Bokuto and Kuroo. – It was nasty of him but he was trying to provoke a reaction. And failed.

 - How vulgar. I’d ask who you are trying to fool but it’s obvious it’s me. Save your energy. Here’s what I suggest. Are you listening to me ? – Tooru almost snorted. What was he, a child ?

 - All ears.

  - I would like to take you apart. – That took an unexpected turn. Something in his mind tried to surface, an old memory reaching up, only it wasn’t old and he should had known it but it was slipping through his fingers like fine sand…

 - Take me apart. – He couldn’t even turn it into a question. Keiji, in response, just hummed in confirmation. Tooru was shocked enough that even the nervous tics that threatened to escape stopped for a second. His calm tone didn’t help at all, either. – What would…”taking me apart” include ? Just for future references ?

 - This time ? Sensory deprivation and bending you over the closest horizontal surface. You need your head rearranged and that’s the fastest way to do it. – It took him half a minute to decipher the real meaning behind the casual words.

 - Correct me if I’m wrong… - Keiji hummed again. – but you’re talking about bondage. And actual sex. Tell me I’m wrong. – Keiji only did the world’s most graceful shrug and tilted his head to the side a little.

 - You’re not. – Tooru rubbed his eyes. Why…He seriously considered screaming but that probably wouldn’t solve anything. – Which is why we are talking about it. To agree on limitations and everything else that needs to be discussed before starting a scene.

 - You sound awfully educated on the topic. – He was going for a bite but ended up sounding more curious than anything.

 - I am. We all have our demons and, of course, it could be fun. It usually is for fun, to be honest. And the only way to do this is to know exactly what will happen, when and why. Also, how and when to stop. Hurting someone in that way, especially someone I care about, is one of my worst nightmares. And I have a lot of those, trust me.

 - And you’re never the one bent over a horizontal surface, I take it ? – It was unnecessary but Tooru wanted him to show off his probable hypocrisy. It took him way too long to realise how wrong he was even without Keiji’s eyebrows moving just a touch up. The guy was covered in bite marks and hickeys, it was obvious there was definitely some bending going on.

 - Of course I am. It depends on the mood. Nothing’s set in stone, Tooru. And even if it was – Now he smiled. It was a playful, light expression, no teeth, just a tiny twist of lips and twinkling eyes. And completely wrong. Tooru felt his fingers start trembling again against his borrowed sweats.  – do you thing I don’t know how to rewrite rocks ?

 - What if I don’t want to ? – Okay, that was pushing it, just a little. Keiji was objectively gorgeous. They all were. And they had gotten quite close during his stay. Keiji had remained a mystery. Also, he didn’t trust them. True, the man before him had never lied, technically, as far as he knew, or misled him, but that didn’t mean anything. His throat was still raw and talking higher than a whisper made him choke, so trust was relative.

 - Then you don’t and I go read a book or something. I am not going to force you. If you don’t believe that, even for half a second, - He leaned forward. – then there is no point in even talking about it anymore.

  - Why would you want to have sex with me, though ? – It wasn’t fishing for compliments. Tooru took pride in his looks. He knew he was usually the most handsome man in the room and knew how to achieve and how to use that. He didn’t suffer from low confidence. But the current situation was so far from the norm the rules didn’t even begin to apply. Not only was the man suggesting sex in a committed long term relationship, he was talking about heavy BDSM and Tooru wasn’t even sure if he liked him as a person. It didn’t make much sense.

 - You’re hot. – Nice try.

 - And so are millions of other people.

 - And you’ve shown again and again that you belong here. I told you, it’s an open offer. You understood me, you made Tetsu laugh, you didn’t get mauled by the local flora and I suspect you are wary of Kou’s skill in bending the truth. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. You have a home here. If you want it. And I am not saying it only because someone asked me to or I am being pressured or anything. You can think on your feet and do it fast, use everything in your arsenal, know how to talk to people and learn quickly. And Kou and Tetsu like you.

 - Forgive me for not believing that last one. Past events considered. – He narrowed his eyes. -  That still doesn’t answer my question. Why do you, in particular, want to have sex with me ?

 - You’re not giving up, are you ? – Tooru smirked. – And it wasn’t like that. Don’t be a brat, Kou’s feeling terrible enough as it is. – He’d tried to kill him, Tooru almost snapped, but it was getting old and he still was confused about the conversation on hand.

 - Don’t know how.

 - I want to see you unraveled. It’s still early enough and I feel like we’ve never seen you at full potential. But you can’t reach that right now because you’re a mess of emotions. I want to see your chest ripped open, with your beating heart in my hand. – Keiji got up and took the few steps that separated the two sofas. – You are a defiant man, I want all that defiance drained until your bare bones are left, and your mind is open as wide as your ribcage. And after all that makes you has bled out, I want to see what you will build again. To sum up, I am curious about the man you hide so carefully. – And then he shrugged again. – Does this answer your question ?

 - You are sick, Keiji, you know that, right ? – Because he was. Bokuto had been the one who’d straight up tried to kill him and the memory of the vise of fingers casually squeezing the life of him still flashed behind his eyelids every time he closed his eyes, and yet Keiji’s cool eyes were the ones almost making him shiver. He’d never felt intimidated by the lines of muscle he could see or by the fact that he was alone with three strong men who could very much overpower him at any given moment. He’d never felt intimidated by physical force and muscle mass, and he wasn’t going to start now. No, what was scaring him was the ease with which the man had gotten him helpless and had almost crushed his neck. It shouldn’t had been possible. It was wrong. He was not weak and he knew how to defend himself. And now, Keiji was talking about him being the helpless victim of a different kind of power exchange. How…inconsiderate.

 - It has been mentioned. Doesn’t change a thing. Are you in or not ? – The way he said it definitely didn’t match the topic. Not at all. He sounded way too casual, way too in control.

 - Sorry, but you haven’t really told me what you want to do. I’m not too keen on going straight to that without any prior knowledge.

 - So you’re smart. Good to confirm it. – Tooru exhaled. This was going to give him such a headache, he just knew it. More than he already had. Probably even worse than the one he’d woken up with. At least he wasn’t that twitchy anymore. It was something. – I would like to tie you. Hands only, maybe a little higher. I don’t want you immobile.

 - You’ve really thought about that, haven’t you ? – Because considering how sounded like he was reading from a script, the words couldn’t be impulsive.

 - Of course. You don’t just decide and do something like that on a whim. The dream exchange would’ve been proof enough if you knew anything about it. I don’t just do that with anyone or all the time. And you shouldn’t go into voluntary power exchange with someone you don’t really know, especially with someone you don’t trust to 101%. That’s what it’s all about – care.

 - Care…Keep going. – Keiji blinked at him a couple of times and then relaxed against the back of the sofa. – And don’t think I didn’t catch the part about the “dream exchange”. I will remember that. – The other man just nodded.

 - I’ll cover your eyes. No gag, though. You’re inexperienced and the last thing I want is to cause any kind of damage. That’s not what we’ll be aiming for this time.

 - This time. You’ve caused damage. – If he could be honest, Tooru didn’t really want an answer. Looking down, he noted his left hand curled in a fist he didn’t remember thinking about and he had to force his own fingers apart. That couldn’t be good.

 - Yes.

 - Permanent damage.

 - I’ve left scars that have survived centuries. If that’s what you’re asking for. I also have this kind of scars on me. – Keiji raised his eyebrows at his amazed expression. - What ?

 - I…

 - And everything is consensual. But, again, that’s not what we’re doing this time. Now, I want to blind you, tie you a little and break your mind open. But only if you want. – Did he want ? Did he really ?

 - Why now ?

 - Because you don’t feel comfortable enough around Kou or Tetsu to let them see you the way I want. Which I understand. And you would fight it which could lead to some nasty results.

 - Fine. – Keiji just blinked.

 - Fine ?

 - Yes. Since you seem to know what I am thinking at any given moment, I agree. Let’s see where this goes. – Keiji let out a small sigh.

 - You have no idea what you’re doing. Come on. – And then he just left, not even checking if Tooru was following. This was going to end up badly. There was no timeline where this would be good. So why was he following ? Because his head was a screaming mess, his voice still rasped and if getting tied up and fucked by a sadistic stranger was the way to fix it…True, it was a bit unfair, since Keiji was not so much of a stranger as he was a mystery. The other two, on the other hand, he wasn’t putting himself in their hands anytime soon.

 - Oh, am I about to finally see your sex dungeon ? – He barely heard the low laugh but the way Keiji shook his head was more than evident of his good mood. He also noticed Keiji tended to touch a lot. Not people, he was the least tactile of the three of them, but objects. He was always petting something, whether it was a counter, a cushion or a random pretty piece of rock he played with abscentmindedly. For some reason, it really struck him now how, while they were walking through the house going…somewhere, Keiji’s long slim fingers were almost caressing the surfaces they were passing by. It shouldn’t have affected him at all, but the casual, almost loving touches kept drawing his eyes to the other man’s hand and for some reason it was starting to mess with his head. And Tooru didn’t like his head being played around with.

 - Why do you think we have a sex dungeon ? – He still hadn’t turned around.

 - Don’t you ? Because I distinctly remember…

 - Of course we do. When you live for as long as I have, you start acquiring things. It helps to keep them organised. But that’s not where we’re going now.

 - No ?

 - No. Actually, we’re here.

  It was…his office. The one Tooru had heard the other man used when he wanted to intimidate visitors. It was all dark wood and shiny surfaces. And, for some reason, green leather on the desk. Tall bookshelves that housed books upon books of specialized literature on things Tooru wasn’t sure he wanted to try to understand, most of them in languages he wasn’t sure even existed. Low, heavily stuffed sofa and deep chairs he knew only looked comfortable. The whole room was designed to make people uncomfortable and nervous. And not only because the clocks all moved with different speeds and didn’t follow any rhyme or reason as far as he could see. With the huge windows behind the desk showing off the barren land of the Crossroads, the effect was more than achieved.

  A sound like a gunshot made him just and almost yell, but it was just Keiji. Keiji, who had just locked the door with a finality that felt too close to feeling like a deadly premonition. Tooru swallowed and raised his chin, looking down on the other man. He wouldn’t show his nerves. It was a matter of pride, if nothing else.

 - So. Here’s what we are going to do. The easiest thing will be working with colours. Are you familiar with the concept ? – While he was talking, Keiji stepped around him and walked to the huge desk. It should’ve looked funny, considering how disproportionate the piece of furniture was, but it worked for him. He obviously knew how to play the role of the “spoiled lord of the manor” and everything else was just props.

 - Traffic light ? – Keiji hummed in agreement.

 - It got so easy when those became the norm. It simplifies everything. But, yes. Green is for “everything is okay”. On yellow, - He slid his palms on the desk, leaning forward. – I am going to slow down or stop, give you time, let you breathe. On red, I stop completely, untie you and we are done. Good ? – Tooru nodded. It sounded simple, on theory, and he didn’t see himself as someone who would get that lost in his own head, but still. – Good. Now, repeat it.

 - What ?

 - Say it. We’re not doing anything until I know you fully understand what will be happening.

 - You haven’t really…

 - The safewords, Tooru. I always like a bit of challenge but now’s not the time. Save your energy for when we start. – He narrowed his eyes.

 - Green is fine, red is not fine, yellow is for let me think ? – Keiji nodded.

 - One more thing. Do you want to keep your clothes on ? – Tooru raised his eyebrows.

 - I thought we were going to, you know, have sex. – He got a shrug.

 - We don’t have to. I certainly don’t need it to reach my goal. Though, - He smirked lightly, an obvious challenge in his eyes. – I would definitely enjoy it. It’s not a requirement. And I need you to know you can trust me.

 - Enough to let you have your way with me ? Because, it might surprise you, but I’ve slept with people I’ve known for hours, not for as long as I’ve been here. – The other man refused to bite.

 - No. Enough to know that if you want me to stop, I’ll stop. – Tooru knew his mouth was hanging open but he needed time to think it through. Did he ? He knew Keiji, knew he was a careful man who even in his fury too care with his surroundings. He knew that even in his fury he followed pre-made plans. He knew that whatever the three of them did behind closed doors was consensual and obviously pleasurable enough for them to do it again and again. Knew that if he’d wanted to hurt him, he would’ve already done it. He trusted him.

 - Yes. – That small smile again.

 - Good. Take off your shirt and we can begin. Oh, one more thing.

 - Hm ? – Tooru turned, shirt halfway up his back.

 - From now on, you can use your safewords. Even if it’s before I’ve tied the blindfold or the moment you feel the rope. At any given moment you feel you need it, you speak. And I will stop. Okay ?

 - Okay. – He pulled of the soft t-shirt, left shoulder almost giving up and ending with him strangling himself with his own shirt, and still keeping everything else on. He really had to do something about that arm. Still. Bare-chested and with his sweatpants low on his hips, Tooru turned to look at Keiji properly. – Understood.

 - Good. Now…I want you to come here… - Tooru stepped around the huge desk ending up beside the other man and waiting for instructions. He was, more than anything else, curious. He’d never done anything like this ( that one time with the handcuffs didn’t count, it was still one of the worst drunk memories he wanted to forget out of pure humiliation ) and while he didn’t think it would help with his nerves, it would distract him. His eyes were on the same level as Keiji’s and the other man was smiling softly. It was an expression Tooru hadn’t seen directed towards him at all, the last few minutes notwithstanding, and he found out he kind of liked it. It softened his features and made him look more human. Which he was, as far as Tooru knew, though it was open for debate.

  Keiji put both palms on his bare shoulders and pushed him a little until he got the hint and turned around, facing the door and the desk.

 - I want you stand still and relax. We’re not doing anything extreme. – He was kind of contradicting himself, but he let that one slide.

 - So, should I call you “Master” ? Or “Milord” ? Or, wait, “Daddy” ? – A light snort behind his back but he didn’t turn. And then…Light breath between his shoulder blades. Tooru couldn’t help it, he tensed, eyes still glued to the door. His muscles, having relaxed somehow though the uncomfortable conversation, were tense like wires again. He could almost feel himself shaking. That was bad. More than bad. They weren’t doing anything yet and even when they did, if Keiji kept his word, it wouldn’t be anything groundbreaking and freaky. He could keep a cool head through it. He had to, after all the talking he’d done only a few minutes ago.

 - Mmm. – Keiji was back to standing away, no part of him touching skin, and Tooru was grateful. – Do you want to ?

 - No…?

 - Then don’t. It’s that simple. Okay, now, take a deep breath for me. – Deciding that doing what he was told, at least for now, would be the most productive action, he inhaled and held it. – Good. Let it out. Slowly. I am going to put the blindfold. Now.

  The words were calm enough that he didn’t startle when the piece of fabric suddenly appeared in front of him. Still no touch, not even breath, on him. He tried to relax a little, but for some reason he was still tense enough for it to be visible. And for someone as perceptive as Keiji it was probably more than obvious. He didn’t like being read like a book but apparently it was going to be like that today.

  The darkness shouldn’t have surprised him, Keiji had moved slowly enough but he still couldn’t hide his reaction completely. How…pathetic. Careful fingers tightened the black cloth and then disappeared.

 - Colour ? – What ? Colour ? What did he want ? Tooru closed his eyes under the blindfold, forcing the darkness to become his own, the one behind his eyelids more natural and less disturbing that the artificial one currently blanketing his world. – Tooru, think about traffic lights. What colour ?

  Oh. Was this how it was going to be ? He thought about it a little, gave himself half a minute not to decide on his response but to consider Keiji’s methods. If he kept going like that, asking after every single thing, maybe Tooru would have time to calm himself and breathe.

 - Green. It’s… - He tried to force the stutter out of his voice. – It’s green.

 - In that case, I am going to keep going. – No praise for agreeing. He wasn’t making it a good thing he’d said “yes”. Tooru…liked that.

 - Yeah. – It hadn’t been a question but he felt like answering anyway.

 - What I am going to do now is called a Lark’s Head Double Column. – That didn’t ring any bells. – It will put no tension on you and it will not restrict anything outside of your wrists. You will still be able to move your arms and it does not go around your chest or neck. Okay ?

  Tooru swallowed but he was already breathing easier. Keiji almost sounded like he was giving a lecture and the collected way he was listing off details made the whole thing much less emotional. The silence stretched. The other man hadn’t said anything about questions, though, so he decided to try.

 - What do you need me to do ? – It came out more as a whisper but Keiji hummed again. He was still behind him, still at a small distance.

 - Put your arms behind your back for me. – Tooru complied and the first touch made him twitch but he didn’t jump. Not this time. Keiji’s fingers were warm and he rubbed his wrists lightly, fingertip dancing over his pulse. – Good. I am going to start tying you now. I just need you to breathe.

  Tooru nodded, although there hadn’t really been a question.

 - Colour ? – And again.

 - Green. I’m fine, Keiji, no need to ask me every single…

 - And yet I want to do it. Here’s the rope. – He didn’t even twitch this time. He just let out the breath he was holding. For some reason, he’d expected the rope to feel…strange. It didn’t. It just went around several times in what felt like different ways and then he felt it narrow around his wrists. No panic in him, not yet. – How does it feel ?

  He pulled as an experiment. It didn’t give even a centimetre but it also didn’t cut off his circulation or chafe.

 - Okay. It’s good. – For a minute, it was quiet. He counted, second after second without a sound, and all he could hear was his own heartbeat. With his eyes out of the equation and his hands behind his back, he was more than aware of every little touch, the fabric of his pants, the warm wood under his bare feet. Every loop of the rope felt like a distinct sensation by itself and he could almost count them. He knew he could, if he decided. He didn’t even know if his eyes were opened or not since the world was completely black. What was Keiji doing, though ? No touching, no words, he couldn’t even hear him move. And he was listening. The tension was rising, turning into something close to worry.

  What if he’d left him alone ? He could move like a cat on a carpet, no sound at all. What if he’d just tied him, blindfolded him and left him to go and do something else. Was it some sort of lesson ? A game ? What was he trying to achieve…

 - I am going to touch you now. And you are going to lie on my desk. – He couldn’t control the twitch that ran through his body but at least he wasn’t alone. – My hand will go on your back, above the rope.

  And then…Tooru lost the air in his lungs, choking a curse. A warm hand had slid, open-palmed, between his arms, and when the other man had gotten a good surface coverage, he’d just pushed. Hard. Tooru wheezed, tried to catch himself but not only were his hands out of the game, his hips hit the edge of the desk and he fell face-first on in. Bent like that, his back to Keiji and his face resting on some papers, his pants still on, he felt more on display that anything he’s done through college.

 - Beautiful.

  That same warm hand rubbed small circles on his back, seemingly without any hurry, and Tooru relaxed. The edge was hard on his stomach but the soft leather surface made it bearable. And Keiji’s touch was still light, still petting. No pressure, no force, just the smooth glide of skin on skin. And it was stupid of him to get so emotional when it was probably the most innocent possible kind of touch – a hand on his upper back. But his body was not listening and he felt he was about to start shaking again.

  Keiji stilled. A soft pop echoed through the room and at first Tooru wasn’t sure if it hadn’t been in his head only, but then he felt the air get warmer. Letting out a breath he didn’t remember holding, he squirmed a little to get more comfortable and find the softest spot on the wood. The goosebumps on his skin retreated and his muscles slowly relaxed. The heat was doing its job.

 - Now, I am going to apply some pressure. – One fingertip danced over his skin, a lonely touch that somehow became the centre of his senses. Dow his spine it went…and up. And back down, slowly, painfully so. The touch stilled. Still no pressure. And up… Suddenly, his entire body contracted. The soft touch had changed and he felt the light scratch of a nail. Not enough to bleed, he was sure, not even enough to leave a red mark. But it was different. And he could…hear it.

  It almost hissed. He knew, on some level, that the sound was in his head only, but that didn’t make it any less deafening. Down…pause…and up…He couldn’t help it, he pressed his stomach to the hard surface beneath, body instinctively trying to escape the unnatural sensation.

  Two fingers. He twitched, violently. His hazy mind registered a sound, though it was so far away it could’ve been under water. He pulled forward until the edge of the surface dug in his hips, and yet the touch continued.

   In the complete darkness, with almost full silence and no temperature distractions, all he could hear was his own breath and the glide of something sharp along his skin, all he could see was black, with the occasional explosion of colours behind his eyelids, and all he could feel was his body involuntary reacting to the touch. No other sounds. No smells. No cold spots. No voices. Nothing.

  The touch stilled again. The sharp  sensation disappeared, only to be replaced, again, by a whole palm in the middle of his back. His shoulders were starting to strain, even if the position was not bad, and he felt the beginnings of vague pain.

  Fingers spreading, the palm rubbed a little and then…pushed down. He choked. The feeling went up, almost to his nape, and pressed again. His skin stuck to the shiny wood and he felt a vertebra pop.

 - Tooru… - It was nothing more than a textured exhale. He felt it more than hearing it, but there was no breath on his skin. It was far enough to be just an indistinct sound, shaped like a name, than an actual touch. – Breathe. On one…two… - On “three” the hand disappeared and he exhaled. Head feeling a little hazy, he found a more comfortable position for his cheek and tried to control his air. It felt like he’d been wearing corset or something for hours – his chest was wide open and he could almost taste every breath. The air was sweet.

  Knuckles petting his nape and a little lower. He didn’t even twitch. Still lightheaded from the tension, every caress felt muted and a little off. Like it wasn’t happening to his own body, like he was just a spectator.

 - Look at you being good. That was beautiful, Tooru. – The voice was warm and soft. Fluffy. Calming, and paired with the rubbing fingers, he moved a little, trying to get them to touch on the random spots on his back that felt like they needed attention. – Would you like to do it again ? Because you react so openly…I can’t wait to see you give yourself to me completely. It will be spectacular. It will be…Unforgettable.

  He knew it would.

 And then it happened. Something in the shifting touch hit the exact right spot and he felt a different kind of excitement rise. Shit. He knew he’d been celibate for a while now, but to reach that point from just a pat on the back…It was ridiculous, especially for him.

 - It’s normal, you know. – Keiji was drawing on his back again, his touch lighter than a caress and yet more present than punch. Judging by the sound, he was sitting somewhere beside him and just relaxing. -  Adrenaline highs hit hard. Call it simple biology, if you’d like. I…

 - Yellow. – The very air stilled. Tooru, on the other hand, felt his muscles tensing. What was he going to do ? Because they hadn’t gotten far at all and the other man hadn’t even said anything extreme.

 - You okay ? – No touch, and the absentminded tone of his voice was gone. It was still quiet, but it felt…outside. Outside of the silken web he’d been spinning with the barest touch and the power of his voice. This was not him convincing Tooru, this was a conversation.

 - I… - He let out a breath, though this time it didn’t bring the sweet release from before. – Yes.

  He’d needed the moment to gather himself. Getting lost in his own head and the touch of a hand were not the ways he’d wanted things to go and it had been way too easy for Keiji to get him under his thumb. He was not one to submit or to revel in praise. He had his feet on the ground, head not in the clouds, a blindfold and a soft touch would not undo him.

 - Sure ? – He nodded, trying not to swallow. Because taking back the control over his body had led to the unpleasant result of all his pains and injuries making themselves known. Ouch. – I am going to proceed.

  A soft sound somewhere on his left that he couldn’t identify startled him, but Keiji simply rubbed his back and shushed at him.

 - It’s okay, schatzi. It’s just me. – His brain couldn’t even focus on what he’d just gotten called before the smooth warm finger slid along his spine again. – Are you comfortable ?

  Keiji still hadn’t gone back to the silky tone. He sounded like he was just making conversation. True, he spoke quietly, but nothing in his voice suggested enchantment. It was almost normal, except for the fact that he was half naked, tied up and blindfolded, bent over a desk, while the other man was petting him like he was a beloved pet. But, he had asked a question.

  Tooru nodded, turning his head to rest even better. The leather on top of the desk proved to be soft and kind of stuffed-feeling, so he wouldn’t bruise. Though he still hadn’t looked in a mirror and didn’t know exactly how bad his neck looked.

 - So, Tooru, I believe you have questions ? – Where was he going with that ? He squirmed on the hard surface under his chest a little and racked his brain for clues that he was being tested or misled. He came up with nothing, Keiji’s tone had been as clean and simple as always. Though, Bokuto’s face earlier had been just as calm and normal, and yet he’d been crushing his larynx…He wheezed, trying to breathe in, and when he couldn’t, the cough returned. – Shh. Calm down. Try to keep them deep and long. Slow. Yes, just like that…

  After the crisis had passed, a few moments later, he wet his lips and tried to think about the questions. Which was about other questions. Did he ? Yes, about a million and three, but that was not the point.

 - Ask. You don’t have to look at me, you don’t have to think about me. Just ask.

 - Why… - Would he ? Would he really ask the man who was holding him at his mercy why his partner had tried to kill him, and had almost succeeded ? – Why did… - The dry cough was getting old, if he could be honest with himself.

 - It’s an instinct of his and we made a mistake. – The finger on his spine stilled for a moment and then the whole palm covered his back again, Keiji petting him a little, barely moving, and yet his warmth was spreading like a sunburn. – You were given free rein through the whole place. – He felt the shrug. – We didn’t think to limit it. The tower is our sanctuary and an unknown presence, especially since Kou could see both me and Tetsu, would startle anyone. There was never supposed to be a fourth person in our bedroom. It’s that simple. The wards should’ve stopped you. But they didn’t. Because we…Because I – He really emphasised on that one. – was sloppy. And I apologise.

 - He was… - Taking in a deep breath, Tooru focused on the darkness of the blindfold and the sound of his heartbeat. He wasn’t talking to Keiji, wasn’t asking him. He was asking the void behind his own eyelids. There was nothing else, only his body, the touch on his back and the soft voice talking to him. The Universe itself fell out of place, leaving him drifting in space. Which he definitely didn’t like but he also kind of didn’t want to stop. It was like the lecture in the morning – interesting. He moved a little to get even more comfortable and exhaled.

 - Yes. He used to be a fighter, a soldier. An enforcer, if you will.  And he considers us, me and Tetsu, his parliament. His family. You were simply perceived as a threat in the few seconds in took him to catch up. And yet, he did a lot of damage. We’ll get you something for the throat, I know it’s bad. The other things…I think it would be best if we leave them to heal by themselves.

  “The rest” ? What did he mean ? He didn’t hurt anywhere else. Besides the headache, but Tooru blamed that on the emotional overload. Still, the migraine had gone down a little and he wasn’t going to summon it back by thinking about it.

 - How are you feeling ? – What was he talking about ? Oh. That again. He stopped to think. He was calmer, feeling strangely in synch with his own body even if the disconnection was stronger than ever. But every sensation was amplified and every touch, heartbeat and dust that grazed his skin felt huge and powerful and overwhelming, but also made him feel whole and alive. And he’d needed to feel alive. But now… Now, he realised he could ask anything, say anything, because the voice answering was feeling more and more distant, and he felt alone. Like he was talking to himself. He couldn’t see anyone else but himself and nobody else could see him.

\- Green. – A palm, again, petting his shoulders.

 - Good. Now, tell me… About Oikawa Tooru. Who is he ? – Why would he ask that… And why with those words ?

 - Was. – The rasp was getting old and he hoped the promise for relief would be honoured. – Who was he, you mean. Because he is dead.

  The silence filled the space again. The cosmos in his head was slowing down, galaxies breaking, crashing and being born again and again, but quietly. Stardust down his throat and filling his lungs, but it only fizzed, not choking or drowning him.

 - Is he ? – When he didn’t answer, the voice that had some connection to the soft touch, maybe, poked a little more. – Schatzi ?

 - Yes. Yes, he fucking is. There is a grave. There is… - To his horror, he felt the tears start again. He wasn’t even sad, what was with that ! Wet anger, he’d heard it being called, but it didn’t make him feel better. It was humiliating to be upset about a rock in a field of similar rocks. – There is a grave !

 - And ? Why does the existence of a grave bother you ? – He clenched his teeth. Not sure why, exactly, the dismissive tone was making him angry when he’d thought the exact same thing, but he felt like hissing. – I am going to touch your hair. Colour ?

  The nerve.

 - Green. – He made sure to spit it out. The voice in his head was getting really annoying. Instead of a response, he felt the touch move from his back up along his spine only to bury itself in his hair, bypassing the blindfold knot and pressing on the crown of his head.

 - Now, the grave. Why did it upset you ? – Why ? Where to start ? He wanted turn in the general direction of the sound that was annoying him but the hand in his hair felt too good and he didn’t have full control over his own body. Also, the surface beneath his cheek was getting kind of comfortable.

 - Because it shows this is where I stop. This is that one point I cannot progress after. Everyone else just gets to… - He choked on his own words. – Everyone else gets to keep growing up and succeeding and reaching for the stars and their dreams. And I am stuck in a box under the mud to be eaten by worms. How can I not be upset ? And the worst thing is…The worst thing is, they will forget me. That’s what happens to dead people, you know! – He hadn’t meant to shout but he was losing control over his own body and doing it fast. It felt like there was a weight on his back, pressing him to the desk, and he started to shake, breath uneven in his chest. – They get forgotten ! No matter how many gifts they leave, they will forget me ! Is this what you wanted ?! – Something…happened. He felt his stomach tense and tried to breathe in…And couldn’t.

  For a moment, suspended in time, he felt terror, and then air rushed back in. Although he didn’t remember the burning being there before. His throat felt on fire. He had to calm down. He knew he had to calm down.

\- Remove the blindfold. Please. – He swallowed. Or tried. His voice barely made a sound and everything hurt.

 - I am going to touch your temples. In one, two… - No questions. While he was expecting the touch, and Keiji knew how to get his timing right, he still twitched a little. – There.

  Tooru blinked. The room was much darker than he’d expected. True, they operated in the lowest possible lighting because of Keiji’s eyes, but the soft darkness here looked like a carefully staged scene. That he hadn’t been supposed to see.

  Warm candlelight danced on the walls, shadows split and melted, painting stories that disappeared in a blink, and the muted glow made the man in front of him look like a demon. Nothing more than a shadow silhouette on the background of inky night, he smiled like a dream and moved like a nightmare. Light eyes had gone soft but not too much and his face betrayed only mild curiousity.

 - Tooru ? – Still a whisper, like he was trying not to disturb the flames, but no purr.

 - I want to see you. This…we can do it again. Later. – Keiji just tilted his head.

 - Do you want me to untie you ? – Tooru rolled his shoulders and felt the joints for pain or tension. He was fine, so far. Still. Nodding lightly, he tried following the other man’s steps as he patted around the desk but even his body was not that flexible, especially considering how he was lying on his stomach.

  Slim, nimble fingers plucked at the rope and it fell away, not leaving even a burn behind. Warm hands closed around his own and rubbed gently, chasing the chill. Tooru stood up and turned, coming nose to nose with Keiji. Up this close, he couldn’t even see if the other man was smiling. All he knew were his cool eyes and warm skin and dancing shadows.

  It would be so much different if he didn’t feel his airways close millimetre by millimetre.

 - Tooru. – Light eyes met his and the light frown was more than fitting for the occasion. – What is it ?

  He tried to speak but reconsidered in the last moment. His head was still hazy from the darkness and the sudden realisation that he hadn’t been alone in the room. So, instead, he waved in the general direction of his own neck.

  Keiji frowned even more.

 - Can I ? – Tooru nooded. A cool fingertip touched the side of his neck lightly and slid up and down. It was disturbingly close to what they had been doing only a minute ago, and yet the sensation couldn’t be more different. – Can you speak ? – Could he ? He nodded a little, hoping his shocked expression would convey his absolute desire not to. – Can you breathe ? – Same. – Are you in pain ? – He nodded much more vigorously, still trying not to swallow too fast. – Okay.

  Keiji exhaled and stepped back, but his expression was still wrong. He looked…shocked. Scared. Pupils blown wide in his light eyes and face tense, he looked like he was about to cry. Which was all kinds of messed up, especially coming from the most cool and collected member of the household.

 - Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. I – He looked around, obviously looking for something. – am going to get someone here to look at you, okay ? It will be fine. Where is…

  The phone. He’d been looking for the phone. Tooru was staring to get scared, and not only because his throat felt like it was on fire. Keiji being disturbed was getting him on primal level, in the worst way possible.

 - Daishou. – The name rang a bell but Tooru couldn’t link it to a face. It felt like he knew whoever responded to it but the memory was…not exactly there. Keiji was sitting on the edge of the desk, phone tight in his hand, and was looking over the bookshelf on the further wall. – Can you and Kuguri come over ? Yes, now. Yes, it’s urgent. I will. You have my word. Yes. Thank you. – And then he released a long breath. – Come and sit down. I’ll get them in here.

 All Tooru could do was sit down and wait. And try to breathe in the least painful way possible. This had turned into such a mess he didn’t even know where to start. Oh, well. Pulling on his shirt, he cursed his left arm again for refusing to cooperate, and sank in the chair behind the desk. It was the only piece of furniture that looked even remotely comfortable and it really was. Though he couldn’t really complain about the desk, either. Only a minute later, he heard chatter coming down the hallway. Raising his chin, he smiled a little right when the door opened.

  It was Keiji, followed by two other men he’d never seen before. Not that it meant anything, all things considered.

 - Tooru. – He smirked from behind the desk and Keiji smiled a little, back still to the newcomers. – This is Kuguri. – He waved at the sleepy-faced blond who didn’t appear impressed. – And…

 - We’ve met. – The other guy’s smile was lopsided and Tooru didn’t entirely trust it. But his words didn’t make sense. – Oikawa, right ? – He nodded, carefully, and Keiji just looked between them. – You were walking with Bo ? And He stopped to chat ? And then Taichi came out… ?

  There was something…like an old dream. Déjà vu trying to make him remember something that hadn’t happened yet.

 - Um, Akaashi, is he okay ? – And then dark eyes, green, he noted, blinked back at him. The man’s confusion had erased the weird smirk and now he just looked like a puppy. – Because we’ve met. Spoken.

 - That’s one of the things. – Oh.

 - Oh. Well, just in case, Suguru Daishou. – The man bowed with an air of mocking flair. – At your service.

 - Let me see. – Kuguri dropped the huge case in his hand on the sofa and propped it open. – Where does it hurt ?

  Tooru considered swirling on the chair a little more but the lazy one seemed like he knew what he was doing and it would probably be in better interest to cooperate. Getting up, he walked to the highest chair and got comfortable.

 - His throat. – Kuguru just hummed softly.

 - What had he been doing with it ? Recently ? Anything out of the ordinary ?

  Tooru felt, for some ridiculous reason, smug. Let Keiji explain the guy with obvious medical experience why his throat was damaged. The other man, the one he was supposed to know, raised his eyebrows at Keiji, obviously knowing something was off.

 - Kou got him. And then there was screaming and crying. A lot. In episodes. – Tooru’s jaw dropped. The casual tone didn’t match his expression from two minutes ago at all. He’d gotten himself under control. Whatever had happened, it was over. Keiji was back to being his cold, efficient self. It was both scary and comforting.

 - Bokuto got him how ? – Daishou seemed to be just as a spokesperson for Kuguri as Keiji was for him.

 - Tried to choke him to death. – Kuguri looked up from his box where he’d been doing something Tooru couldn’t see from his chair.

 - What…

 - Any throwing up ? – And he was talking to Tooru. He spoke softly although it seemed linked to his desire not to make more effort than absolutely necessary and not to care for his patient. Tooru shook his head. – Vertigo ? – Same. – Weakness ? – He started to shake his head for the third time and then paused. His left arm was still not entirely there. – I’ll take it as “Yes”. And I already know about the memory issues. Makes a lot of sense.

 - What ? – Keiji was looking at him with narrowed eyes and looked almost poised to strike, his entire body vibrating with tension.

 - Blood and oxygen restriction to the brain. – Kuguri stood up and glared at Keiji. Or, at least, Tooru thought he glared. It looked like a little tenser and unpleasant version of the expression he’d been wearing throughout the entire time. – It’s what happens when you strangle someone. Sometimes, - He pulled a small laptop and some…device with lots of tiny tubes and blinking lights. – those things are permanent. For life, if you will. We can only hope that case will not be like that. Now.

  He stopped by Tooru, who was still trying to process the “Permanent” bit.

 - Open. I need to see. Not much I can do about that, besides tell you to exercise the weak spots and keep hydrated. The throat, on the other hand, I need to see that. – And he raised one end of the tube thing. – It will be really, really unpleasant. Oh, first… - He clicked something around his neck. – There. Now lean back, keep your back straight and try not to throw up one me, okay ?

What happened after that he could only describe as torture. He could kind of feel the thing in his mouth while trying to read the page Kuguri had handed him. It didn’t hurt, not really, but the way everyone’s focus was on him while he was helpless was wrong in too many ways. He was used to being the centre of attention but not like that. Kuguri was doing something on the laptop, glancing up from time to time, Daishou was smirking at Keiji who was giving him a cool, lightly disgusted look. They were like a living breathing picture and he could swear they were listening to every breath he took and every gasped word from the page he was reading as normally as possible.

  It felt like an eternity before Kuguri raised a finger. Tooru stopped, mouth still open, and waited. The man collected his equipment just as efficiently as he’d taken it out and clicked his case closed.

 - So, I have both good news and bad news. – He looked back at Tooru. – You want them out of the room ? – He shook his head. There was little space for shame now. – Okay. It’s called “vocal cord polyp”. You’ve done it from screaming though I believe it’s because you’ve already been compromised from almost being strangled to death. – He was way too casual about the whole thing but also seemed competent so Tooru had to be happy with just mild glaring. Talk about bedside manner. – It’s absolutely curable. But it’s done with surgery.

  Oh. That…didn’t sound so good.

 - I’ll leave you to think about it. Be fast, though. If those expand, which is a possibility, they might close your airways. You don’t want that, trust me. Feel free to call me again, we do live across the street after all.

 - We’ll see ourselves out. Get well soon. – Daishou nodded at both him and Keiji, and closed the door behind him.

   In the silence, he and Keiji looked at each other.

 - Well. That’s a thing that happened. – Tooru couldn’t help it. He snorted, choked on his own saliva, laughed, choked on pain again and ended up wheezing through laughter and whimpers of pain. – I’d take it easier if I were you.

  Take it easier ? When all of them were the reason he was like that ?

 - You got some nerve, Keiji. – He could barely make the sounds leave his tongue but the other man still heard him.

 - What can I say ? That’s one thing I didn’t expect to see. Congratulations on surprising me.

 - I try my best. – Keiji just smled.

 - You want tea ? It might soothe you a little.

   Tooru just nodded. Why not ? It wasn’t like it could hurt more than what had just happened. He hoped.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah...How was it ? Let me know. Comments, criticisms and kudos give me life.


	14. Interlude : Necromancy at twilight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A question is asked. And answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another interlude, because it doesn't fit as a oneshot but I didn't want to add more series. So, yeah.

\- The sunset is beautiful tonight. – He laughed softly. The last sun, a bright white star shaped like, in his opinion, a swirl of soft serve ice cream, was almost below the line of the horizon, the Akaashi house burning in the twilight, Daishou’s mess of gothic styles was as gloomy and dark as usual, Futakuchi’s shack was getting surrounded by taller and taller thorny vines and the leaning monstrosity of towers than the counts occupied was swaying gently in the breeze. Ah, evenings. One never knew when they would arrive at the Crossroads.

  Turning to his lover, he pressed their cheeks together. Warmth washed over him as he was hugged from behind, the low swing of the floating mass of dirt, living creatures and magic under their feet making him remember than one time his parents had taken him and his best friend to a boat. It had been so incredible, he thought. They had been children then, chasing after every bug and leaf and falling star. He exhaled, melancholy falling like snow over his quiet happiness. They had been children. And where had it all let to ? Him, in a strange and confusing place and his friend, the only real friend he’d kept from childhood – away. Too far away. Unreachable. He sighed. No need to think about the past, neither the close, nor the far one. The past was in the past.

  The hug got tighter. His lover knew, even without asking. Even without speaking. He always knew when he was upset. Of course, he often couldn’t tell why he was upset, but he guessed that was what happened when one grew up in more orphanages than he could remember and had seen escaping to the wasteland that was the Crossroads at the age of seventeen as the next logical step in the plan.

 - Something hurts you ? – He always spoke so formally. Like he had learnt all of his speech patterns from old books and had never seen a reason to change. It had been one of the things that had first attracted him. The blunt, almost rude manner of speaking that had been at such odds with everything else had made his hackles rise at first, unsure how to react and knowing he was being mocked and insulted but not being able to do anything about it. It had taken them both a while. And now…

\- It still feels fresh, you know ? Like I’ll drop by after a late practice and he’ll just be there. I just…

  He couldn’t speak, he realised. Not with grief still an open wound across his throat and tongue, making him bleed and drown in blood, and burn his eyes.

 - Tell me, dearest. – “Dearest”. He almost laughed through the tears that refused to fall. Such an old fashioned nickname. How could he expect anything else ?

 - You’ll never meet him.

 - And I will never acquire his approval, no ? – He froze, hands tight on the iron railing. – Because it matters. What your closest one thinks of me. And now you will never know. The one thing you believe would make or break a relationship, and now that it really matters, it is truly impossible. Is this what is making you feel down ? Because…

 -  Hey. – The words paused for a moment. He really wanted to scrub the last few days from his memory but that would require getting something either from Daishou’s little team of rascals, as his partner called what he knew was a gang of criminals with strange taste in décor, or from Akaashi’s household, which meant dealing with the heir himself or Kuroo. Who, while much more easygoing and laidback than his lover, and much more approachable, was a completely different being when doing actual alchemy. He had only glimpsed at a ritual once and the image had been burnt behind his eyelids. He almost shuddered. Akaashi Keiji worked with constantly evolving and modernizing blend of magic and science, while Kuroo Tetsurou relied on tested old magic. Really old magic. Or, at least that’s what his lover had told him once. He still didn’t understand most of the stuff. He just knew who to avoid at certain times.

And he didn’t want to forget, not really. Now that all he had from his best friends were memories, he wanted to keep them as close as possible. But, his partner had asked a question.

 - It matters, but I also simply wanted for you to meet him, too. He would have hated you. – That on came out as a watery laugh but there was nothing he could do. God, Tooru would had hated the other man so much. He wasn’t even sure why, but he knew it would had happened.

 - Would he ?

 - Yeah. Just a feeling. And I wanted to wait, to be sure, and then…

 - I am sure we can still ask for his blessing. – He took a deep breath and then let it out. Slowly.

 - You know how I feel about what you do, right ? – He felt the nod more than seeing it, but it was enough. – Yeah. I don’t mind it and all but I think that if I see him like that, I am going to go mad and it won’t be pretty.

\- The offer doesn’t have an expiration date. Though the oldest the corpse gets, the more complicated keeping all of its parts together gets, but it’s still…

 - Hey. No. – A light shrug of wide shoulders against his.

 - Of course. Now, bed ? Your colour is not looking good and the night is getting colder. Come, dearest.

 

  Several hours. That’s how long it had taken him. He lay there, staring at the starry sky from under the glass ceiling and thought about all the life choices that had led to this moment. Not even a week from his best friend’s death and he was already thinking about…Well. Maybe Tooru’s soul, wherever it was, would see it as being taken by aliens. He choked on a sob. How very selfish of him. Curling in a tight ball, he sought the warmth that usually kept him sane through the long nights. And it was there.

  His lover just hugged him even tighter and opened his eyes. Golden in the night, clear even in the middle of sleep, he knew for sure that he was most definitely not awake. Necromancers. It had been scary at first but now it was just another thing his partner did. But he needed him awake before he lost his nerve. Waking him was always an adventure but he needed it fast this time.

  - Babe ? – Pulling himself away from the heat, he still kept a hold on the blankets. The one sure way to wake his lover without getting his “fight or flight” instinct going on was to gradually lower the temperature. True, he did feel like a monster every single time he did it, but this was an extreme case and he promised himself he would make it up to him. Maybe take him to a holiday, show him around, get on a culinary trip. Or make him that cheesecake he loved. Yes, that would work. Because his partner would never accept payment for what he was about to ask, but waking him up by using his one weakness was playing dirty.

 - Dearest ?

 - I want… - He swallowed. – I want you to do it. – There was no need to explain what it was. His lover had offered often enough. His lover just blinked in the darkness and then slid from the bed.

 - Meet me on the ground in fifteen minutes. – And then he was gone. Just like that. Because even after almost a year of dating, there were still things he hadn’t seen, all by his own choice.

 

  It was still brand new and it showed. He could only think how new it looked. The stone. Unnatural. Wrong. The name carved in it was wrong, too. It didn’t belong there. It didn’t make sense for the “Tooru Oikawa” to be on a grave stone. Why had they put it there ? Why had anyone made such a strange and bad joke ? Tooru would lose it when he saw it, would probably say how tasteless it was and how he deserved better, maybe a whole shrine in his name. He wouldn’t…like it.

 - Dearest ? – He looked back. His partner, in a white shirt, navy jacket and jeans, was looking way too formal but also informal, to be doing what he was about to. He didn’t look old and distinguished enough, or crazed and dripping with rabid foam. No, he was just a man currently pulling on disposable gloved and mixing stuff in a glass jar with the lid under one arm. He had seen this done, true, but never on a person. It was surprising what a lot of people would do to get an animal or something much less animated up and running for a short amount of time. This ? This was new.

  And way too simple. He frowned. He’d asked his lover not to do anything flashy that wasn’t really needed but this was the other end of the spectrum. He wasn’t really doing anything.

 The other man simply shook the little jar in his hand and peered inside. Whatever was happening was obviously…not happening. He murmured something that sounded more like curses than actual spells and pulled a little bag from his pocket. Dropping a few bits of whatever was inside, he looked again.

 After a few more addtions and shakes he dropped a long sigh, pulled out a bottle that he recognised as a several-decades-old whisky and poured it all over the mix. Then, he dropped the bottle, lidded the jar, shook it like he was foaming cold milk and then threw it at the stone.

  His scream echoed through the graveyard but he couldn’t help it. The stone glowed in a sickly green for a moment before promptly exploding in sand-sized shrapnel. There was something warm dripping down his cheek but all he could see was the ruin. The destruction of the last thing left from his best friend. Anger welled, sadness mixed and everything bubbled over in an incoherent fall of words. He knew he wasn’t making sense but…

  - The fuck ? What…What was that ? Why did you do it ? How…How could…

\- It’s empty. – The calm in his tone barely made it past the screaming in his head but the words where all wrong, like everything else here.

 - What ?

 - The grave. There’s nothing. And even if there was, it would be a proxy. The man whose name is carved in that stone ? He’s most definitely not dead. Has never been, actually.

  Glowing golden eyes met his.

 - Is there something about your friend you would like to explain, Hajime ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone got what actually just happened ? Good.  
> .  
> Seriously, though. Let me know below, one way or another.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's not much as a first chapter but I had to start somewhere. Let me know how I'm doing ?  
> .  
> Come and chat about your rare pairs on kenjiro-s.tumblr.com


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